Hawaii County begins $31 million Pāhala wastewater pipeline to retire cesspools by 2027
(UI) — Construction is in progress for a $30.9 million wastewater system in Pāhala that will replace aging cesspools by 2027, according to Star-Advertiser.
Goodfellow Bros. started work on July 7, with the project originally slated for completion by May 11, 2026. County officials now say the timeline may shift due to unexpected site conditions.
“The county is currently coordinating with the contractor on establishing a new projected end date,” Tom Callis, spokesperson for the mayor’s office, told the Star-Advertiser.
The work covers excavation, sewer and water line installation, connections for 109 existing properties, access for 65 more properties, and full roadway restoration.
Heavy field preparation, including traffic controls, erosion measures, and seams in existing pavement, kicked off initial construction activity. This project responds to a U.S. EPA mandate requiring the shutdown of large-capacity cesspools in Pāhala and Na‘alehu by January 22, 2027.
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