A new loan program will help homeowners finance cesspool conversions.
House Bill 1618 sets aside two million dollars in Green Fee funds to create the program. It brings the state one step closer to reaching its goal of eliminating 80,000 cesspools by 2050.
Converting a single cesspool typically costs between $25,000 and $50,000, according to Stuart Coleman, executive director of Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations.
Ted Bohlen, also with the company, said most homeowners can't afford to spend tens of thousands of dollars on the conversion. He said the company is working to reduce the cost with new technology.
"We hope we can bring that cost down for the future, but it will still be expensive," he said. "Homeowners will still need help, and this bill is a first step along the way toward giving people some help to make it more affordable."
Gov. Josh Green signed the bill into law on Wednesday. The program will be administered by the Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority.
