Fellows mentioned in this story: Stuart Coleman

From Hawai‘i Public Radio:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this week it will provide $50 million to Hawaiʻi for upgrades to drinking water and other clean water infrastructure projects.

The news came as close to a thousand water experts gathered at the Hawai’i Convention Center for the Pacific Water Conference.

The Conversation spoke with Stuart Coleman, the head of WAI, or Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations. He said Hawaiʻi's wastewater system needs an overhaul.

One major problem is cesspools near shorelines. Coleman said that's bad news for reef health.

"People say, 'Oh, you know, what's the problem with cesspools, really, we've had them for decades, no problems.' Well, if you look at places like Māʻalaea on Maui, or Puakō on the Big Island, their reef cover has gone from 70% to 80% 50 years ago, to less than 8% now," Coleman said.

Listen at hawaiipublicradio.org.