Kahalu’u is a world-class snorkeling site, with cesspools? There are no sewers for the mile from the little St. Peter’s church (across from the Surf Shop) north to Queen Kalama Avenue. Cesspools collect sewage from homes along the ocean and get cleaned out as sea water washes in at high tide, polluting the ocean, degrading the reef, and making us sick.
I got an infection from swimming at Kahalu’u. I used to swim there three times a week. Not any more. Do you know a surfer or swimmer who has had a MRSA or staph infection from that area? The doctors at Ali‘i Health and Keauhou Urgent Care told me it was common knowledge that the water is polluted at Kahalu’u. I ended up in the hospital twice to have the infected wound cleaned out, on very toxic IV antibiotics.
Kahalu’u is a world class snorkel spot, loved by locals and visitors. It needs to be cleaned up for the fish, the corals, the turtles and the humans.
Why can’t our elected officials at the federal, state and county work together to get funding from the Clean Water Act, EPA, Build Back Better and state Department of Health to connect the one mile of sewer to the Kamehameha Investment private sewer system and the Kealakehe sewer system? The EPA is fining the county every day for cesspools. The state Department of Health regulates cesspools and septic tanks, and the county is responsible for the infrastructure. Don’t they collaborate? How is this sustainable?
It is up to citizens to demand better stewardship of our environment. I have talked to elected officials at all levels about this mile of cesspools since 2006. If tourism is so important to the economy and Kahalu’u is a major tourist attraction, why has nothing been done?
Bottom line, isn’t the primary job of government to protect the health and safety of citizens? The mayor and council can request a meeting of all elected officials, at all levels to create a plan to find funding to solve the cesspool problem along Ali’i Drive.
Debbie Hecht is a resident of Kailua-Kona.