The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) has conveyed the sewer lines in Kaupuni Village, Oʻahu to the City & County of Honolulu (City & County) in the first of what will be several sewer line transfers stemming from the implementation of Act 227, 2014 (Act). The agreement was filed with the State Bureau of Conveyances in September.
Counties, under the legislation, are required to accept sewer systems serving Hawaiian Home Lands upon meeting certain conditions, including satisfactory sewer system construction requirements confirming respective county standards and a provision to access the lines through a license agreement.
The Hawaiian Homes Commission approved the process to convey the physical sewer lines to the City & County via a Bill of Sale and land access through a License as Easement last year.
In 1994, the City & County stopped accepting new DHHL sewer collection systems, and in 2010, stopped providing sewer spill and blockage removal services within DHHL subdivisions. As a result, DHHL has been hiring a private contractor who responds to up to 20 trouble calls a year.
“Transferring our remaining sewer lines to their respective counties pursuant to Act 227 is a welcomed action,” said Hawaiian Homes Commission Chairman William J. Ailā, Jr. “The conveyance of these lines highlights the importance of the Department building infrastructure to code and will allow us to reallocate limited resources being used for sewer management to new homestead development.”
The Act applies to sewer system improvements on Hawaiian Home Lands statewide, however, the majority of neighbor island sewer systems are already operated and maintained by their respective counties. As a result, the Department will begin the conveyance with the most recently completed subdivisions on Oʻahu, including Princess Kahanu Estates, Waimānalo Unit 9, Kalāwahine, Kumuhau, Kakaina, Maluʻōhai, Kaupeʻa, Kanehili, and East Kapolei.
DHHL plans to convey all remaining sewer lines on Oʻahu to the City & County, with the older Oʻahu sewer systems anticipated to require improvements ahead of conveyance.