The things we take for granted when it comes to city services — what happens when you flush your toilet or throw out garbage?
There is a price to pay to protect public health and the environment. A second round of town hall meetings is underway to discuss the proposal to raise Oʻahu wastewater fees by 115% over the next decade.
These proposed hikes in sewer fees will go toward paying for upgrades to the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant — a $1.8 billion project to be completed by 2035.
Roger Babcock, the director of the Honolulu Department of Environmental Services, said that there has not been a "big uproar" about the rising costs at these town meetings.
"There seems to be an understanding that this is necessary, that costs have gone up, and that we have a lot of work that we have to do," Babcock said.
He also said there hasnʻt been a sewer fee increase in almost nine years — the last increase was in July 2016.
"It's time. It's necessary and we're making the case that in order to finish this consent decree work as well as all the other work that we have to do to prevent future problems, we do need to raise the fees again now," he said.
Tuesday’s town hall meeting will take place at Kailua District Park starting at 5:30 p.m. For more information about the sewer fee increase, click here.
Sewer price hikes are not the only hot-button topic for local officials. Babcock also joined Mayor Rick Blangiardi on Tuesday to announce the selection of a new landfill site for the island.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Dec. 10, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
