SB2155 • 2026

RELATING TO WASTEWATER SYSTEMS.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: RICHARDS, CHANG, HASHIMOTO, KIDANI, SAN BUENAVENTURA
Last action: 2026-03-20
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on EEP with Representative(s) Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia, Muraoka voting no (3) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO WASTEWATER SYSTEMS.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO WASTEWATER SYSTEMS.
Individual Wastewater Systems; Bedrooms; Increase Increases the number of bedrooms an individual wastewater system may serve from five to six.
Effective 7/1/3000.
(HD1)

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB2155 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2155 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2155 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2155 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2155 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2155 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WASTEWATER SYSTEMS .

Bill History

2026-03-20 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on EEP with Representative(s) Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia, Muraoka voting no (3) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-03-20 H
Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1304-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to EEP.
2026-03-18 H
The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Grandinetti, Kila, Kitagawa, La Chica, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Cochran, Muraoka; and Excused: none.
2026-03-16 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HSG on Wednesday, 03-18-26 9:00AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-12 H
Referred to HSG, EEP, JHA, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 184) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-10 S
Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-05 S
48 Hrs. Notice 3/10/2026.
2026-03-05 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).
2026-03-05 S
Reported from HHS/AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2815) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-02-06 S
Re-Referred to HHS/AEN.
2026-02-02 S
The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fevella.
2026-02-02 S
The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, DeCoite, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-01-30 S
The committee(s) on HHS/AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-02-26 3:00PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.
2026-01-22 S
Referred to HHS/AEN, WAM.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-14 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO WASTEWATER SYSTEMS.
Individual Wastewater Systems; Bedrooms; Increase
Increases the number of bedrooms an individual wastewater system may serve from five to six. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2155

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2155

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO WASTEWATER SYSTEMS
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION 1.
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The
legislature finds that the State has a statutory and constitutional mandate to
protect the State's environment and natural resources, operating in conjunction
with federal statutory mandates under the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean
Water Act.
�
Recognizing the threats and
long-term consequences of inadequate wastewater systems, the legislature
understands and acknowledges the growing body of research that substantiates that
overutilization of individual wastewater systems has been linked to groundwater
contamination, waste leakage, and significant risks to nearshore marine
ecosystems.
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Several well-documented
public health and environmental concerns are associated with overutilized
individual wastewater systems.
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When
these systems experience hydraulic overload, effluent can migrate into
groundwater sources, resulting in contamination that poses significant risks to
public health and the environment.
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The
legislature estimates that approximately eighty-three to eighty-eight thousand
cesspools are located throughout the State and that upwards of fifty- to
fifty-five million gallons of untreated wastewater are discharged into the
ground each day.
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Beyond the immediate
and observable consequences to the environment, the legislature recognizes the
secondary impacts that wastewater issues have on the housing sector,
particularly workforce housing in the agricultural sector, where housing
options are strained and often located in isolated rural locations that
exacerbate wastewater connectivity issues.

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In response to persistent cesspool
conversion challenges, the legislature has enacted several measures to progress
towards the cesspool conversion mandate established in Act 125, Session Laws of
Hawaii 2017, including establishing a cesspool conversion working group, establishing
tax credits for cesspool conversions, and the development of an interacting
cesspool monitoring tool.
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However,
despite these efforts, the rate of cesspool conversions remains slow and
continues to impede the agricultural and housing sectors in the State's
economy.
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The legislature recognizes the
need to ensure that any further legislative initiative is coupled with
flexibility, equity, enforceability, and technological adaptability in multiple
economic sectors.
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The legislature
intends to fulfill its mandate to address the State's persistent wastewater challenges
by balancing critical resource management, environmental protection, the
interests of affected economic sectors, and the housing needs of the State.

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Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
require the department of health to amend its administrative rules to:

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(1)
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Set
the maximum number of dwellings and dwelling units that may be connected to a
single individual wastewater system to five dwellings and dwelling units; and

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(2)
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Set
the maximum number of bedrooms that may be connected to a single individual
wastewater system to six bedrooms.

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SECTION 2.
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The department of health shall amend its administrative rules in
accordance with chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to set the number of
dwellings and dwelling units that may be connected to a single individual
wastewater system to be not more than five dwellings or dwelling units;
provided that the total quantity of bedrooms connected to one individual
wastewater system shall not exceed six bedrooms.

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SECTION 3.
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This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DOH;
Individual Wastewater Systems; Dwelling Units; Dwellings; Bedrooms; Rules

Description:

Requires
the Department of Health to amend its administrative rules to:
�
(1) Set the maximum number of dwellings and
dwelling units that may be connected to a single individual wastewater system
to five dwellings and dwelling units; and (2) Set the maximum number of
bedrooms that may be connected to a single individual wastewater system to six
bedrooms.
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The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.