FAQs

No need to worry— Our team has extensive experience assisting Hawaiian residents with navigating the legalities of replacing a failing cesspool and permitting with the Department of Health.

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The DOH will even make exceptions to expedite the approval process if an NOV (or NOVO) is received, and financial assistance from the State may be available. We will be sure to help you every step of the way.

Once again, no need to worry— Our team has extensive experience assisting Hawaiian residents with navigating the legalities of replacing a failing wastewater treatment plant and permitting with the Department of Health, and we will work with you to make sure your system is back in compliance.

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There are also various funding sources that may available for these projects, such as USDA or other grants, tax credits, and more.

This isn't an easy answer to give before we learn more about your property, the proposed location for the IWS, the amount of projected flow for the system, and other factors. However, the following numbers can be used as a rough estimate:

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Residential IWS:

• Engineering and design services: $5,000-$10,000 

• Construction services: $25,000-$50,000

Commercial IWS:

• Engineering and design services: $5,000-$10,000

• Construction services: $45,000-$85,000

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Please note that many Google results report far smaller numbers, which unfortunately are not accurate to the actual cost of an IWS (as shown above). Many of the numbers reported in Google search results neglect to include extra engineering and design fees, construction fees, permitting fees, and more. To learn more about the fees associated with an IWS replacement or installation, please call us at (808) 800-2119, email us at info@lokahienvironmental.com, or fill out a form on our "Contact" page.

This also isn't an easy answer to give before we learn more about your property, the proposed location for the WWTP, the amount of projected flow for the system, and other factors. However, the following numbers can be used as a rough estimate:

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Engineering and environmental consulting fees: $150,000-$350,000

Construction fees: $500,000-$1,500,000

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To learn more about the fees associated with a WWTP replacement or installation, please call us at (808) 800-2119, email us at info@lokahienvironmental.com, or fill out a form on our "Contact" page.

If you need to convert your current septic system and you are not readily able to afford the conversion fees, we can help put you in touch with our network of banks and State organizations that may be able to assist in funding your project.

There is no exact answer for the timelines of IWS and WWTP replacements or installations, as this is dependent on communications and planning with the client, designing and engineering the new system, permitting with the Department of Health, construction efforts, and more. However, you can use the following timelines as a rough estimate:

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Residential and Commercial IWS:

• Design and permitting: About 3 months

  • NOTE: This is dependent on how quickly DOH is able to review and approve the permit, and this may take additional time if surveys (land, property, shoreline, etc.) are needed.

• Construction: About 30 days

  • NOTE: This is also weather-dependent.​

• Material Lead Time: About 4-6 weeks for a standard IWS, and about 3-6 months for an IWS with an aerobic treatment unit (ATU)

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WWTP:

• EA/SMA: These are dependent on location, though for shoreline properties, they can take anywhere from 1 year to 18 months

• Design: About 1 year

  • NOTE: This happens with the EA/SMA process simultaneously.​

• Construction/Installation: About 1 year to 18 months

For an individual wastewater system (IWS), the primary documentation that will be necessary to file for a new permit are floor plans of your current and/or future home (the latter if renovations are being made or a new building is being constructed).

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For a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), however, there are a plethora of electrical, structural, mechanical, etc. documents for your current system that will need to be acquired prior to beginning permitting efforts. To learn more about what documentation will be needed to replace your current WWTP, please call us at (808) 800-2119, reach out to info@lokahienvironmental.com, or fill out a form on our "Contact" page.