Kailua-Kona (North Kona), Holualoa, and the Kawaihae-Waikoloa area of South Kohala are 1 of only 3 Priority-1 zones on Hawai‘i Island — the state’s highest urgency tier, with an accelerated timeline under discussion. We also serve South Kona and North Kohala. We handle the permitting, the install, and the paperwork for every tax credit and grant you qualify for.
Reef protection and drinking-water safety are driving the Priority-1 designation in North Kona and South Kohala — and Kona’s lava-rock lots demand different installation experience than East Hawai‘i’s soil.
Kailua-Kona and Holualoa — about 6,500 cesspools along the coast; Holualoa is one of the island’s three named Priority-1 zones.
Kealakekua, Captain Cook, and Hōnaunau — historic coffee-belt communities where cesspools remain common on larger agricultural lots.
Waikoloa, Kawaihae, and Waimea — about 4,500 cesspools; Kawaihae-Waikoloa is also a named Priority-1 zone. Includes Puakō, where coral cover has declined from 70% to as low as 5% over 50 years.
Hāwī and Kapa‘au — a smaller, rural district at the island’s northern tip, still largely reliant on cesspools.
Most projects run 6–12 weeks once permits are filed. We manage the whole timeline so you don't have to chase paperwork.
We evaluate your lot, soil, and existing cesspool to determine whether septic, an ATU, or sewer connection fits your parcel — and what it will realistically cost.
We identify every tax credit, grant, and loan program you qualify for, then handle Department of Health permit submission on your behalf.
Licensed crews install your new system to code, with minimal disruption to your property and a clear day-by-day schedule.
We coordinate final DOH inspection and hand you the documentation proving Act 125 compliance for your records or a future sale.
Conversion typically costs $10,000–$70,000 (median around $40,000) depending on your lot. These programs can cover most or all of it.
HRS 235-16.5 — a direct credit against Hawai'i state income tax for qualifying upgrade, conversion, or connection costs.
Increased from a $20,000 cap in 2025; funded through fiscal year 2026–27 for qualifying households.
Hawai'i County's Home Improvement Loan Program (3% interest) and USDA rural loan/grant programs can cover the remainder.
We work with a licensed Class A general engineering contractor for every conversion — the same classification required for septic and wastewater system installation in Hawai'i. License #[CONTRACTOR_LICENSE_NUMBER].
We handle the tax credit and grant paperwork as part of every project — not an upsell, not an afterthought.
From difficult lava-rock excavation to systems designed with reef protection in mind, we plan every West Hawai‘i install around the district’s actual site conditions.
The Hawai‘i County Cesspool Conversion Task Force’s December 2025 report named Kailua (Kailua-Kona), Holualoa, and the Kawaihae-Waikoloa area of South Kohala as 1 of only 3 Priority-1 zones on the island — the highest urgency tier, based on risk to drinking water aquifers and nearshore reefs. A 2030 accelerated deadline for these zones has been reported, well ahead of the standard 2050 statutory deadline.
The 2030 target has been reported as a proposal covering Priority-1 zones broadly; it is not yet finalized in statute for every individual parcel. We evaluate your specific address against the current priority-area boundaries during your free assessment so you know exactly where you stand — not a generic island-wide answer.
Costs on Hawai‘i Island typically range from about $10,000 to $70,000+, with a median around $40,000. Kona-area lava rock can increase excavation costs on some lots — we give you a realistic number after seeing your actual site, not a blanket estimate.
Puakō in South Kohala has seen coral cover decline from roughly 70% to as low as 5% over 50 years, and modeling shows cesspool-derived nitrates in parts of West Hawai‘i can approach drinking-water thresholds. Converting your system is one of the most direct actions a coastal homeowner can take to reduce nearshore nutrient loading.
Both. Kailua-Kona and South Kohala are our highest-volume, highest-priority service areas, but we regularly work in South Kona (Kealakekua, Captain Cook, Hōnaunau) and North Kohala (Hāwī, Kapa‘au) as well — both currently fall under the standard 2050 statutory deadline rather than the accelerated Priority-1 timeline.
As of our latest local search data, both Google Business Profile listings for cesspool/septic services in Kailua-Kona are unclaimed and have very few reviews — meaning most Kona-area homeowners don’t have an obvious, actively-managed local specialist to call. We are locally focused on West Hawai‘i conditions, not a mainland call center.
Tell us a little about your property and we'll follow up within one business day with what conversion option fits your lot, an honest cost range, and which funding programs you likely qualify for.