Page 2 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - March 16, 2022

ISoaking Up The Sun At Sunset Park
Sunset Park is a wonderful place to enjoy the great outdoors. PHOTOS COURTESY SHANNON TSUBAKI
f you’re planning a trip to Vegas in the near fu- ture, be sure to check
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT/ SUPPLEMENT PRODUCTS RON NAGASAWA
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
BILL MOSSMAN
MANAGING EDITOR
NICOLE MONTON
PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
DENNIS FRANCIS
CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER
DAVE KENNEDY
REGIONAL SALES MANAGER
LANCE TAKAKI
hawaiiislandmidweek.com
To start/stop delivery or report a service issue, please call (808) 529-4700.
Telephone for Editorial: (808) 529-4700
Fax: (808) 585-6324
Telephone for Advertising & Administration: (808) 529-4700
Hawai‘i Island Midweek is published every Wednesday by Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500 Honolulu, HI 96813.
the weather forecast. With last month’s temperatures ranging from low 30s to high 70s, your wardrobe is not something to gamble with. If you’re worried that the extra clothing won’t leave enough space for Trader Joe’s good- ies, it may be a good idea to bring an extra bag.
As long as you’re prepared for the change in temps, there are so many great outdoor experiences to enjoy before the summer heat creeps in. In addition to being near 13 national parks, Las Vegas boasts more than 100 local community parks and nearby Henderson has 66 parks.
Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column, and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest). Answers are on page 7
RATING: SILVER
Former Hawai‘i residents and now longtime Ninth Is- landers Randy Hatada and Ingrid Taufaao of Xpand Re- alty share that Sunset Park has been a favorite of theirs.
SEE PAGE 3
# hawaiianrealty.com • hawaiianrealty.com • hawaiianrealty.com • hawaiianrealty.com • hawaiianrealty.com • hawaiianrealty.com #
hawaiianrealty.com 800-667-5028 ext. 8122
Denise S. Nakanishi
RB-17031, ABR, CRS, GRI, SRS
“Major Mom is a Major Difference”
For years, those of us who live on Hawaii Island have heard that we should prepare to transition from cesspools to septic systems with new residential construction. For the most part, homes near the ocean and those located
on lots under an acre have required the use of septic systems for some time. Although public sewer lines service portions of Hilo, cesspools are still the norm. I’m sure
it’s not the first thing a buyer thinks about but there are valid reasons why buyer should pay attention to how solid
waste is disposed. Sellers are required to w
septic location. Sellers do not always know. As part of the listing process, most REALTORS® in East Hawaii request permit
information, including wastewater. While the County
of Hawaii provides information about building permits, the State Department of Health maintains information regarding wastewater approval and locations. On older homes, owners were completely responsible for insuring
the State inspection/approval was completed. Many owners mistakenly assumed the inspection was part of the plumbing permit. The confusion resulted in spotty compliance with inspection requirements. It was entirely possible to obtain the final County building final without the State required cesspool approval. Procedures have changed. The inspection is now integral to the building process. Actually, the wastewater engineer who designed the system is responsible for system approval. When
it’s not done or is missing, it’s normally inexpensive and simple to correct. For a nominal fee, licensed plumbers and some licensed contractors (or a wastewater engineer) can obtain and complete the necessary form. Unlike many states, sellers are not required to pump their systems (especially septic) prior to sale. Because septic installation is a relatively new requirement, we often forget to request pumping to be done. Interestingly, I have heard the comment that wastewater inspections are not required
for a sale. This rather misleading comment because by extension the implication would be that neither are building permits. While individual wastewater issues may be easy to
correct, “gang” cesspools are such a confusing subject that we normally defer questions to the experts. Even then we are likely to get conflicting answers. Buyers for dwellings with multiple living units should make a detailed inquiry regarding the wastewater system. Complying with EPA rules that have been in effect since April 2005, may require that owners immediately retrofit their system or face huge fines. It’s very difficult to sell a home that does not comply with the EPA requirement. While ‘Ohana homes or homes with multiple living units may not be directly under the EPA radar, compliance is still required (see http://www.epa.gov/ region9/water/groundwater/uic-hicesspools.html or call for a referral to my favorite wastewater engineers). Upgrading a normal residential cesspool is not normally required until the number of bedrooms increases and is not a requirement upon transfer. I’m not sure about anyone else, but buyers
I work with usually want to know that not only their home is up to snuff, they want some assurance that nothing “stinks” when it comes to their wastewater disposal!
Blog forward at www.hawaiianrealtyhomes.com
i
n
WHEN WASTEWATER SYSTEMS STINK!
i
nform buyers of past problems with their
s
s
ystem. Additionally, the standard disclosure
asks the seller for the cesspool or
y
l majormom@ilhawaii.net
c
c
e
el
ll
9
9
3
3
6
6-5
51
10
00
0
Magical Ranchland/ Ag Lot
Grand Opportunity!
234ac, A-20A Zone, ocean/mt view. Near beach, golf, fishing, hiking
MLS #655300 $1.765M
FIND MY COLUMN EVERY SUNDAY OF THE MONTH. Watch “HAWAII LIFE” on HGTV!
h h a a w wa i a i a i n i a r e n a r l e t y a . c l o t y m . c • o h m a w • a i h i a a n w r e a a i l i t a y . n c o r e m a l t y . c o m
hawaiianrealty.com • hawaiianrealty.com