Miloliʻi Coastal Cesspool Conversion & Reef Resilience project

Mālama ʻĀina, Mālama Kai – Miloliʻi Coastal Cesspool Conversion & Reef Resilience

This project will convert more than 50 coastal residential cesspools in Miloliʻi Fishing Village to wastewater treatment systems, reducing land-based pollution, improving coastal water quality, and strengthening coral habitat and reef resilience in Hawaiʻiʻs Last Hawaiian Fishing Village.

The Miloliʻi community at large, together with Kalanihale, its local community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, serves as an established community partner with the State of Hawaiʻi Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR). Together, the collaboration supports stewardship, management, and protection of the Miloliʻi Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA), encompassing 18.6 miles of culturally and ecologically significant coastline.

This transformative project directly advances Objective 7 of the Miloliʻi CBSFA Marine Management Plan – to address land-based sources of pollution that threaten nearshore marine ecosystems and traditional koʻa (fishing grounds). Through this initiative, Miloliʻi reaffirms its enduring commitment to mālama ʻāina and mālama kai, honoring ancestral legacy of sustaining our natural resources, perpetuating cultural traditions, and preserving their way of life for future generations. In support of these community-driven efforts, the Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) will procure qualified service providers to implement cesspool conversions in coordination with Kalanihale and the broader Miloliʻi community.