Sewage and Sanitation on Kauai’s Sunny Southern Coast

The southern coast of the Garden Island is a sunny, mild, tropical paradise. Kauai is a lush island full of character and history. From the plucky roosters to the crystal blue waters and Hawaiian historical sites, Kauai is a bucket list destination for millions of honeymooners, world travelers, and tourists every year. But, like all the islands, Kauai struggles with sanitation. The islands are often quietly referred to as “a 3rd world state with 1st world laws” by those in the know. Conflicts between local residents and developers are common, as local governments court investors to attract more economy-stimulating tourism and hospitality dollars.  A balance must be struck.

Thanks to the volcanic geology of the islands, as the population continues to grow, outdated cesspools and aging septic tanks threaten the ground water supply as well as the coastal water quality so crucial to the continued health of the land and tourism growth. These cesspools and septic leach fields empty into underground lava tubes and local waterways, taking raw sewage straight into the ocean. Even when they work as intended, these rudimentary sanitation methods flow sewage into local soils. These soils are underlain by nonporous, basaltic bedrock, and the flow of gravity inextricably draws these contaminants again to the sea.