What Is The HCPT?
The Hawai‘i Cesspool Prioritization Tool (HCPT) is a map-based tool that displays the prioritization level for each of Hawai‘i’s 83,000+ cesspools organized into three categories by geographic region.
With the latest update, the HCPT assesses where sewer service expansion is likely, and provides site specific cesspool replacement technology suggestions tailored to your property.
Why Do we Need It?
By law, all cesspool owners are required to upgrade, convert, or connect to sewer before 2050. While all cesspools degrade water quality, some are more hazardous than others to human and ecosystem health because of their geographic location. The HCPT ranks cesspools by both their individual and collective impacts to help guide resources towards replacing the most hazardous locations first.
How Do We Use It?
- Launch tool by clicking here
- Enter address or pan the map
- View the listing for your property
- Click the dot for more detailed information
- More complete instructions are available on the HCPT site itself
The HCPT prioritization method places each geographic area into three prioritization categories:
Priority Level 1: These cesspools have the greatest potential to impact human health and the environment and are directly adjacent to sensitive natural resources like coral reefs or drinking water aquifers (map color red).
Priority Level 2: These cesspools rank behind Priority 1, but still pose a significant hazard to human health and the environment. Priority 2 cesspools may be close to sensitive natural resources like steams or drinking water aquifers (map color orange).
Priority Level 3: These cesspools still have an impact on human health and the environment but may be further away from sensitive natural resources or areas that may directly impact human health (map color yellow).
Sewer Expansion Update
The HCPT has recently been updated and expanded to include potential areas of sewer system expansion and new resources to help property owners to find site-appropriate technologies to replace their cesspools
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Input Data
The HCPT’s Priority Areas were determined through a data-driven process. Fifteen statewide data layers with relevance to cesspool hazards were overlain with cesspool locations in a code-based geospatial tool. With expert input, these risk factors were weighed according to the significance of their environmental and human health impacts. These risk factors can be explored in the HCPT companion tool, the ‘Input Data App‘.
The tool creation process and methodology is detailed in the report, ‘Hawai‘i Cesspool Hazard Assessment & Prioritization Tool: Updated Report & Technical Appendices’ (2022). For a deeper dive into the 15 risk-factors, explore the Storymap, ‘Understanding the Priority Areas’ and view the video below, ‘How were the HCPT Priority Areas Determined?’.
Cesspool Conversion Working Group
Report to the Legislature 2022 Regular Session
Act 125: Requires upgrade, conversion, or sewer connection of all cesspools before 2050
Hawaii State Legislature
Contacts:
For more information on the HCPT and Input Data App, contact 
Christopher Shuler, cshuler@hawaii.edu
To discuss educational opportunities and outreach products, contact Melanie Lander, mlander@hawaii.edu