2021-10-27 EMC testimony (10-20) Holmes, Stephen - Wastewater infrastructure funding

Home

From:Stephen Holmes To:Kimball, Heather Cc:Georjean Adams; Dee Fulton; Rick Gaffney; Jon Olson; Cory (Martha) Harden; Charles “Chuck” Flaherty JR; Robert Culbertson; Laura Acasio Subject:Idea Date:Wednesday, October 20, 2021 6:12:09 AM Heather: Part of the County addressing wastewater infrastructure will be connecting more homes through sewer improvement districts. Forcing homeowners to install laterals, however can be a real problem. The Lono Kona Subdivision project is an example where connections are not being made depriving the County of revenue. Rather than being punitive, the County could set up a zero to 3% loan program to make it easy using CDBG funds. The 3% level would be for gap group. Every year due to project delays, allocated CDBG funds lapse at the local, State, and federal level. By setting up a revolving loan program, you can encumber the funds. I say this out of experience. I had a top HUD official approach me at a workshop to give me a heads up that they were about to lapse $14 million in funds allocated for Honolulu. I asked him to give me 2 weeks. I set up a solar and energy efficiency loan program that allowed thousands to lower their energy bills. Won a national award. Congressman Kai Kahele can help work with HUD officials. He may also be able to get HUD funds that are nationally poised to lapse to be reallocated. Or funds at the State level. We aren’t talking big bucks here and a revolving loan just keeps on giving. While County housing folks might grumble about more work, when Honolulu got national recognition, our team was delighted by getting their pictures in the HUD journal. The highlight of their career. Almost as though they had actually come up with the idea. There may be other federal funding sources besides CDBG to set up a low to no interest loan program for laterals. USDA RUS, for instance. Congressman Kahele has expressed a genuine interest in wastewater infrastructure problems and this is tailor made for his staff to dig in and help. Another way that the County can help reduce costs of connections is to include stub outs for connections as part of the project. Identify the locations of the pipes with a little red flag to make it easier for the plumbers. Avoid the costs of re-trenching and busting into the main sewer line at the street. A simple thing with minor additional cost when installing the project, but huge for homeowners. This also ensures uniformity of materials so private plumbing contractors don’t create problems. DEM could work with plumbing contractors and set up a competitive pre- approved list to prevent price gouging. Talk story with Ramzi Mansour on finding ways to improve the process and make it easier rather than to just rely on fines and penalties. Engineers can do really basic things like use low pressure sewer systems that reduce the size of piping and the depth of trenching that reduce costs for laterals. The whole culture of engineering is about problem solving, yet we see projects like Lono Kona doing stupid stuff. I can’t tell you how nice it is to have you take on leadership. Mahalo! Steve Holmes