Kapoho petri pools

[Obie]

We had 2 portable toilets that we,KKWA, our water association paid for.

The tides in that area get so high,the road floods twice a day,that we became worried and had them removed.

We don't have the money to build an elevated platform to put in portable toilets that would not float away or get washed over.

On top of that it would take approvals from DLNR,EPA and several other agencies to do that.It would also require an expensive environmental assessment.

Another thing that people don't seem to understand is that all of the tidepools are on private property.Take a look at the foundations of the houses that were once there.Someone still owns that property and all but one owner is still paying property taxes.

Beyond those properties are lands that are owned by J.Hara that believe it or not extend to the surf line.This property was to become a development called Vacationland II until the earthquake in the 70's caused the whole area to drop almost a foot.

If you would like more information please read the subsidence study
here
http://www.hawaii-county.com/planning/kss.html

Also check our KKWA website and see how much effort this small community has put into this problem.

http://www.kkwa.org/

Look at sewer system effort.

Please don't condemn us unless you have all the facts.

[alohaglady]

quote:

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Originally posted by Greg

The signs at Vacationland have been taken down(not by the state, methinks)

For reasons beyond my comprehension, the Dept of Health requires a septic tank for greywater. I would personally divert it to a catchment tank, filter it, and use it for agriculture. This, along with a community awareness concerning pesticides, herbicides, and biodegradable detergents would be much, much, better than dumping raw sewage into a tidepool.

You are correct Obie, that Vacationland residents, for the most part show a lot more Aloha than their neighbors behind the gates in Beachlots. I apologise if I've offended anyone.

punatoons

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[alohaglady]

The missing signs were not removed by Vacationland. You might be surprised by the number of signs paid for and installed by this small community that are destroyed and stolen by vandals.

[Erlinda]

Yes, the signs used to be there. As a visitor I realize I’m taking a chance snorkeling there, but I wear a wetsuit (yes, I look ridiculous!) rather than scratch myself on lava and risk infection. And I always snorkel at high tide (it’s better then anyway). I always shower well when I get home.

It’s a complex problem but with more development it seems like something like a either a centralized water treatment facility or individual cesspools that somehow biodegrade fecal matter will need to be used in the communities. It’s not right to have raw sewage polluting the ocean. There are just too many consequences to the environment.

I would support a “Keep Hawai’i Beautiful” tax added onto tourist amenities to fund something like this. Probably not a good idea right now, but when things rebound it might be good. We malihini are causing a lot of the problems. Why shouldn’t we be part of the solution?

[Hotzcatz]

A centralized water treatment facility only works when you have centralized people. We don't have the density of population in that area to make a municipal sewage treatment plant cost effective.

In many septic system leach fields in the area, there are huge amounts of cinders added to the leach field area to slow down the leaching so it has time to work properly. On a small residential lot, most of the yard would have to be replaced with a leach field and some lots may still be too small for the size of field required. Some would require raised leach fields, too.

Does anyone know what they use in places such as the Florida Keys? Those are living areas at sea level and below.

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"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson

[Bullwinkle]

I have a cabin in a "riparian area" national forest. Cleveland national forest. I just went through a 20 year lease renewal and a "holding tank" or sealed vault is the new requirement if one is closer than 100 feet to a water source, in my case a stream.

We have been through nepa, epa, title one permits, biologists, hydrologists and yes attorneys.

Bottom line: Under federal rules if one is closer than 100 feet to a water source - (tidal counts imho) Black water goes into a holding tank for pump out, grey can go to septic - for now.

Compost toilets shine in this environment especially if the homes are wired for power, a small heating element working wonders in this application. We are off the grid so have had a bit more of an issue with leachate.

One does not even utter the word "cesspool" in front of the gentile Forest Service Biologists.

This is the new mantra as far I can see - Id get ready for it, 101 feet being the magic number for lot selection.

Aloha

[Bob Orts]

quote:

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Originally posted by Hotzcatz

Does anyone know what they use in places such as the Florida Keys? Those are living areas at sea level and below.

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A couple of years ago I read that the Keys had a similar problem with their sewage. Of course, they were willing to pay to improve the system and government is pitching in.

Similar to Bullwinkle, living in a Forever Wild preserve, it comes down to if the residents care about what happens off their property. We will pay what it takes to correct any issue because we want the WHOLE area to remain pristine and enviromentally sound. If anyone's property impacts the area, we all feel the effects. It comes down to if people care enough. (and it helps that we can be forced to correct anything deemed harmful to the entire area)

[KapohoVet]

As much as I enjoyed living in Kapoho it made me very aware that Kapoho Bay and the Tide Pool area are "World Resources" of a first class nature that should not be controlled by local residents but by the federal government or designated as a "World Heritage Site". And as such these 2 areas should be made into a National Park and the HOUSING SHOULD BE REMOVED and the occupants compensated for moving and given a fair market price for their property. These Kapoho resources are much too valuable to let stand as they are: overcrowded tiny lots LEAKING SEWAGE AND TOXIC POLLUTANTS and ugly blights on the beautiful natural landscape and environment there. Those tiny lots and those selfish people trying to control these resources should BE REMOVED!! I've run into very obnoxious Kapoho people trying to control access there and run off visitors, even though I lived there myself, I often ran into jerks who assumed I was a visitor and even told me outright lies about the public having access there trying to get me to leave and not come back. Kapoho should be leveled and cleaned up and left in it's pre-subdivision state!! FREE KAPOHO FROM THE UGLY BLIGHT AND SELFISH LANDOWNERS AND TENANTS!!

[oink]

While there may be some validity to the basic premise stated above, I interpret from the style of the posting that it's a trolling attempt. Don't take the bait! Unless of course you just want a good spat for fun.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[Bullwinkle]

I’ll pass on the bait and offer some insight.

Anytime there is a substandard black water system in place it will leach effluent and contaminate the surrounding soil. I wouldn’t advocate large scale demolition, unless we want to spread the contaminate around.

It’s not an easy solution, my recommendation having been through the process. Is to dig out the cesspool (you will find lots of 55 gallon steel or plastic "cesspools" if your issues are like my neck of the woods.

Dig a hole big enough and drop a sealed vault right in the spot where the contaminated soil was removed and yes - transported to a land fill that will take it $$$$$ (hazardous waste)

That is the solution we negotiated with the Feds. Solved the problem though, 10 -20k$ per unit, not a bad admission ticket for a low impact oceanfront (in my case riperian) lifestyle

Aloha