STAND. COM. REP. NO. 234

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1232

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Higher Education and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 1232 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WASTEWATER SYSTEMS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish and appropriate funds for a three-year New Wastewater Technology Testing Pilot Program within the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center to test and evaluate new wastewater technology systems in coordination with the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program, College of Engineering, Department of Health, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and the appropriate county agencies; and

(2) Require the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center to submit annual reports to the Legislature.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center, Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition, WAI: Wastewater Alternatives & Innovations, and one individual.

Your Committees find that Act 125, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, set a goal to upgrade or convert the 83,000 cesspools in the State to a septic or aerobic treatment unit system or to connect them to a central sewerage system before 2050. Your Committees further find that in recognition of possible alternatives to a septic or aerobic treatment unit system, Act 153, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, amended the law to instead require that every cesspool in the State be upgraded to a wastewater system approved by the Director of Health or connected to a sewerage system by 2050. Your Committees also find that new and emerging wastewater technologies and management solutions may more effectively treat sewage for entire communities at a lower cost than existing wastewater treatment technology. Your Committees note that new wastewater treatment technologies must be tested in order to be certified by the Department of Health for use in the State. This measure ensures progress in the State's goal to upgrade or convert cesspools while promoting clean environmental standards by appropriating funds to the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center to test and evaluate new wastewater technology systems.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1232, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1232, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair