WAILUKU, Hawaii
The preservation of the environment of Maui is one of the highest priorities for the Hawaiian state government. As concerns grow surrounding changes in the climate and weather patterns, Maui residents have made environmental consciousness a priority in their lives as well.
Although many people living in the cities of Maui live in buildings connected to a sewer system, thousands of residents depend on septic systems or cesspools to manage their wastewater and sewage. Residents who live with on-site waste management systems must be able to properly maintain and provide service for their system but they gain the benefit of participating in an environmentally beneficial method instead of turning the responsibility over to a large centralized waste treatment plant.
A growing concern for the island and the state of Hawaii overall is the presence of so many cesspools among on-site waste management properties. While a properly functioning cesspool can process waste, they need to be pumped more frequently than septic systems and tend to pollute the environment with untreated wastewater, which may lead to the contamination of aquifers, damage nearby wildlife and create polluted runoff that reaches natural waterways like streams and rivers. Cesspools deteriorate with age, meaning many existing cesspools are currently causing damage to surrounding groundwater and wildlife.
Maui Pumping recognizes the importance of a healthy environment and the concern residents have regarding their ecological impact. For this reason, Maui Pumping is elaborating on the impact cesspools and septic tanks have on the environment.
Maui Pumping services all homes on the island of Maui. One of the company’s services is New Septic Installation. This service is meant to help residents with existing cesspools upgrade to a more environmentally friendly septic system. Since Hawaiian law prohibits the construction of new cesspools, Maui Pumping does not offer new cesspool installation as a service. Additionally, homes build on the island that do not connect to a municipal sewer system cannot build a new cesspool to handle waste.
Septic systems differ from cesspools by providing a way for treated wastewater to be released over a wide area into the topsoil surrounding it. Cesspools have wastewater outlets but these outlets do not distribute wastewater over as wide of an area, causing moisture to sink directly down into aquifers over time. This differs from septic systems, which use a network of drainage pipes to release treated wastewater into the upper soil, creating a drain field or leach field. Using this method, surface organisms like grasses and common weeds can absorb and use this moisture.
Another benefit of homes converting over to septic systems is more economic than ecological; homes that use septic systems do not depend on the large infrastructure and energy costs required for municipal water treatment. Homeowners in rural parts of Maui that cannot connect to sewer systems do not need to pay for sewage utilities through their local government. Residents can then set aside the money they save on sewer utilities to pay for regular septic pumping and septic maintenance services through companies like Maui Pumping.
Because septic systems handle waste on-site, sewage is not transported through pipes or service lines, public health risks are lower. Sewer systems require constant maintenance and monitoring, while on-site systems are more independent and need less direct supervision. A healthy functioning septic system only releases treated wastewater into the environment, which can safely wash out into nearby waterways without the risk of polluting the water or damaging aquatic life the way cesspools can. Cesspools can pose a danger by introducing harmful bacteria into aquifers, which leads to contaminated well water or potentially contaminated public water.
Maui Pumping hosts a blog on their company website where residents can learn more about the benefits of owning a septic system and understand how best to treat a septic system for the most environmentally friendly results. This same website allows residents to schedule appointments online or call the company to schedule appointments over the phone. The phone number for Maui Pumping is 808-871-7867. Maui Pumping is located at 850 Kolu St. Suite A2, Wailuku, Hawaii, 96793.
