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This article in the Sunday Trib talks about the effects of the resident's leaky sewage on environmentally sensitive tidepools.
It's ammusing to reflect on the Kapoho resident's passing the blame on visitors all this time. One responsible tour company (Kapohokine) even offered to pay for portible toilets at Champaine ponds, only to be rebuffed by local residents.
I noticed the article focused on multimillion dollar sewage systems, most likely subsidised by us, and never mentioned environmentally sound and inexpensive composting systems; Paid for by the residents.
Here's an old
Toon originally published by Hunter last year.
punatoons
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How often is the water at Kapoho checked for bacterial levels? Have there ever been any warnings posted to stay out of the water? Even if there have not be dangerous levels of bacteria detected, something needs to be done, and frequent monitoring is the first step. Of course, tectonic plates and glaciers move much faster than our state and local government, so don't hold your breath.
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once.. years ago.. I went to a friends party.. he's in vacationland.. 1/5th of an acre lot... and when he built.. in the early 80's.. he had the backhoe dig two puka's... one for the cesspool and the other for the pond. so there we were.. nice sunny day.. nice people.. kids.. dogs.. a frolicking good time.. and some innocent soul.. some kid.. says loud and clear.. mommy this water smells like sh*t! funny how it takes a child to state the obvious. funnier still to see the pond drained of people in such short order, yet with such looks and expressions as to remain just on the edge of polite company. needless to say the party lost it's punch.
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regarding Wai Opai...interesting place, we go fairly often, it's pretty un-inviting as far as no bathrooms etc... but the water there is really dependent upon the tide..high tide pretty much cleans it out and flushes it...long stretches of low tide and the water could be pretty funky,,, the road has really deteriorated lately too, but some mornings it is a very beautiful place
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The water at Wai Opai is checked constantly by multiple government agencies.It has never exceeded acceptable limits and there has never been a closure.
There are no bathrooms because all of the tide pools are on private property.Would you build a bathroom on your front yard for the neighbors to use ??
The road is deteriorated because it is a private road that was damaged by subsidence from an earthquake and then by several storm surges.The road can't be repaired because now it requires approval by about 4 different government agencies ,including an environmental impact statement and about $250,000.00.
In the meantime this is everyone's problem because crap flows downhill.Every person on this island contributes to the problem because every cesspool and septic eventually flows into the ocean.
We need an island wide sewage system !!!
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There ARE bathrooms in the area; hundreds of them. That is the problem. A much greater problem than visitors who have the opportunity to dookie elsewhere before or after their visit. The residents waste leaches into the pools 24/7 and the close proximity makes it much more concentrated than the sewage filtering down from mauka. The signs posted by the state Dept of Health at the pools warn of "fecal matter" and bacteria. It's just criminal that the local residents would insist that the source is anyone other than their own faulty systems.
We do have a problem island wide, but Kapoho residents should be taking the lead in solving it, rather than just trying to keep everyone else out and pointing fingers.
Low cost, environmentally friendly alternative;
composting toilets.
punatoons
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The residents of Vacationland are not pointing fingers and keeping others out.We don't have a gate like Beach lots and we welcome people to our community.
Composting toilets are great, but what about the gray water that may contain disease.You can't compost that.
The residents of Vacationland are the ones who started the study into a sewer system and they are the ones who pushed for the MLCD.
There are no signs near the Wai Opai tide pools warning of fecal matter and bacteria.These are at Ahulinui.
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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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I don't think an island wide sewer system is necessarily a step up. If you are not going to maintain it there will be spills that cause just as much damage as faulty cesspools. We have this problem all across the country including in Waikiki. Most of the big island is too sparsely populated to make a central system economically possible, not to mention trying to dig through lava to lay the sewer lines.
There is a parallel with catchment systems. They can be built so they work safely, or you can put a kiddie pool in the front yard and dig a hole in the back yard.
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No Obie..i would not want a portable toilet in my front yard, but luckily my front yard is not a well publicized tourist destination,,if i lived there i would want at least one at the designated parking area
