If the sewer line fronts a property, the owner must connect to the sewer line. A homeowner needs a plumbing permit from the Department of Public Works, Development Services Administration (DPW, DSA) to connect to the sewer within 180 days (about 6 months) of the date of the County letter notifying the homeowner of sewer connection availability. A plumbing inspection will also need to be scheduled. Please refer to State law HAR 11-62-06(b) and Maui County Code Section 14.21A.010 - Required connection. For more information on a lot-by-lot basis, please contact the WWRD (808-270-7417). The County sewer is currently being designed, inclusive of laterals from the main sewer line to within 2 feet of each property line. If constructed in this fashion, once the lateral is built, you will connect at the cleanout at your property line. 

The sewer design is not yet complete. Please see the information graphics and site plan from DEM on possible sewer connections to determine if your property will likely have a gravity-fed connection to the County’s sewer main line. The information in these graphics is the best currently available, but it may change as the design progresses.

Homeowners should decommission their cesspool by having all organic material removed by a licensed hauler and disposed of properly, collapsing the cesspool cover, and using like material to fill it. Fill soil should be placed in layers (lifts) with each layer compacted before adding the next. Fill should be packed down, so no depression or tripping hazards are present. Please refer to the DOH protocol on mauirecovers.org, titled “Guidance for Wahikuli (PDF),” accessible via the link here.

All owners serviceable by the County of Maui Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Wastewater Reclamation Division (WWRD) sewer system must connect within 180 days of the County letter notifying the homeowner of sewer connection availability. For more information, please refer to State law HAR 11-62-06(b) and Maui County Code Section 14.21A.010 - Required connection. Property owners may also request an extension to the 180days by submitting a request letter to the Director of DEM containing justification for an extension. Each request will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and application does not guarantee an extension. 

Please see the informational graphics and site plan from DEM on possible sewer connections to determine where the sewer line will be concerning your property – this will help determine if you connect via gravity line, grinder pump, or easement. The information in these graphics is the best current available, but may change as the design progresses. Non-standard properties or structures may require an easement or grinder-pump to connect to the County sewer. Some properties may benefit from an existing sewer easement that may be dedicated to the County. Owners may not build or place any structures on the easement. 

The US Army Corps of Engineers constructed a gravity sewer system along Fleming Rd to service the Kilohana Temporary Housing project. This sewer project includes installing sewer laterals for each lot within the construction area. If the sewer line currently fronts a property, the owner must connect to the sewer line within 180 days of the date of the County letter notifying the property owner of sewer connection availability. A homeowner needs a plumbing permit to install the sewer lateral, service cleanout, and connect to the Fleming Rd sewer. If you have questions about a specific lot on Fleming Rd, please contact the WWRD (808-270-7417). A hold will prevent additional permitting if the proper service cleanout is not relocated or installed.

The sewer design process is scheduled to be complete in Spring 2026. The ultimate timeline for construction depends on the availability and procurement of construction funds. Once construction funding and a contract are secured, projects are generally given from 365 to 730 calendar days from notice to proceed to completion.

Provisions should be made to the interior premise plumbing system and stub-out on the property to tie-in to the County sewer system using the best information on the sewer design available at this time - please see informational graphics from DEM on possible sewer connection scenarios.

WWRD will record the sewer stub location and provide it to the contractors working on the County’s sewer design. If you have already rebuilt or are planning to rebuild and will stub out for a future sewer connection, please inform WWRD of your stub-out location, as it could potentially inform the sewer design. Information provided to the contractors before August 1st, 2025, will likely be incorporated into the design.

A sewer easement is a legal agreement that grants a public entity, like a city or utility company, the right to access and use a portion of private property for sewer maintenance and repairs. This means the County can access the area to fix or maintain the sewer lines, without requiring additional permission each time. Property owners are not allowed to  build structures that would interfere with access to and within the easement. More information about easements for residents will be forthcoming as sewer designs progress.

Yes, but first, a private sewer easement must be established, and the easement document must be recorded with the County of Maui. A copy of that easement document must be provided to the County of Maui Department of Environmental Management
(DEM) Wastewater Reclamation Division (WWRD) before a sewer connection permit is issued. DEM has no plans to approve a double service lateral that services two properties, each property is expected to have an independent private sewer lateral and service cleanout.

The EPA plans to discuss the draft environmental assessment for the Wahikuli sewer project at the May 7th Maui Community meeting. As the design progresses, information will be released at future community meetings and on mauirecovers.org

It is an access point for sewer maintenance, including blockages, and to see if the property's sewer lateral is connected to a main sewer line.

A stub-out is the end of a pipe ready to be connected for sewer service.

The sewer main is to be maintained by the County of Maui Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Wastewater Reclamation Division (WWRD); the lower lateral from the main to the property line is maintained and repaired by WWRD. Everything inside the private property, including the property’s sewer, or upper lateral, including the required cleanouts, overflow device, and grinder pump (if needed) shall be installed and maintained by the property owner.

A breakdown of residential sewer use fees is available at www.mauicounty.gov/811/Residential-Fees

The cost to connect to sewer varies depending on property location and type of use. Connection fees for residential properties are limited to permit fees and local facilities charges. These fees do not include any work that would need to be done on your property, such as laying pipe from a house to the public sewer or abandoning the current cesspool. In addition, if the sewer is not immediately adjacent to your property or the public lateral does not meet your property line, construction costs with the public right-of-way may be necessary.

The County is looking into potential funding sources to assist low-income households with connecting to the sewer. Owners seeking this kind of assistance should contact the WWRD (808-270-7417).

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Restoring Wastewater Service to Impacted Areas in Lahaina

‍The County of Maui Wastewater Reclamation Division is working to:

• Flush, CCTV and assess sewer lines within the fire-impacted area
• Repair Wastewater Pump Stations (WWPS) 5 and 6 on Front Street
• Reactivate Wastewater Pump Station 7 (Puumana Area) - requires WWPS 5 and 6 to be operating
• Repair/Replace underground lines to eliminate/minimize ground water infiltration and allow connections
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‍EPA Sewer line Inspection Mission Assignment

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• Prioritize emergency repairs to protect the wastewater treatment plant from excess infiltration of salt water from damaged sewer pipe that may impair the biological function of the treatment plant.
• Prevent sewer overflows to waters of the U.S. and potential related human health impacts; and
• Determine certification of areas that are ready for reentry with functioning sewers.

Please also link to their dashboard viewer:

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Inside the Fire-Impacted Areas - Status of Wastewater Service

‍Wastewater Pump Station 4 at Mala Wharf is back online and wastewater services to Kahoma Village, Upper Kapunakea Houselots Subdivision No. 2, Nahale Place, Ipukula Way, Kapunkea Street (mauka of Honoapi’ilani Highway), the Lahaina Cannery Mall and commercial sites makai of the mall are operating normally.‍

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Outside the Fire-Impacted Areas - Status of Wastewater Service

‍The wastewater systems above the Lahaina Bypass, within the Lahaina Business Park, Lahaina Gateway Center, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands at Villages of Leiali‘i, Lahaina Civic Center and all areas north of the Lahaina Civic Center are operating normally.

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Individual Wastewater Systems (cesspools, septic systems)

If your lot is/was not connected to the County sewer system and had a cesspool or septic systems then you are under the purview of the State Department of Health (SDOH). These systems need to be inspected and repaired as necessary and then approved for reconnection by SDOH. (Note that cesspools will still need to abandoned by the current state mandated dates)

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