Like many residents of Hawai'i, I have personally experienced significant skin infections. This dangerous issue is in part due to undertreated municipal wastewater effluent flowing into our nearshore ecosystems and recreational areas via injection wells and deep ocean discharges. We are swimmers, divers, and surfers – the people who participate in the beautiful natural environments the Hawai'ian islands have to offer, and we should not fear for our health when we do so. 

We have the power to change this and reduce the risk of infections by emulating good practices. Maui County has recently passed Bill 52, which mandates municipal wastewater disinfection and ensures that municipal effluent meets Hawai'i State Department of Health R-1 reuse water standards starting from January 1, 2039. It is a step towards a healthier and safer future.

It is time to push for similar legislation across the City and County of Honolulu - or even better, statewide across Hawai'i. To enact this change, we need the CCH Council and Mayor, or state legislators and Governor, to pass legislation like Bill 52 and to allocate sufficient funding for the implementation of this essential wastewater disinfection treatment.

Clean waters are not just a benefit for us as individuals but also for our unique marine ecosystems that are suffering from undertreated wastewater. The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the benefits of wastewater disinfection, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) supports these standards.

By signing this petition, you're not just supporting upgrades to your own health and well-being, but also ensuring a cleaner environment for future generations.

Please, join us in urging for the introduction of a wastewater disinfection bill like Maui's Bill 52 in Oahu and across Hawai'i.

Sign this petition today.

County of Maui Bill 52:

"Starting January 1, 2039, 

municipal wastewater effluent 

produced by the County must meet 

Hawai'i State R-1 reuse water standards. 

The Council must allocate sufficient funding 

for the implementation of this subsection 

so that its requirements will be met 

by the implementation stated above."