About Us
Mission & Vision
Wastewater Alternatives & Innovations (WAI) works to protect water quality, reduce sewage pollution and restore healthy watersheds by providing innovative, affordable, and eco-friendly solutions to waste and wastewater management for all people.
WAI also helps Hawaiʻi homeowners and communities manage the difficult process of upgrading cesspools and failing septic systems across the state to new systems that are affordable, efficient, and better for the environment.
Our Five Pillars
Innovative Technology
WAI is committed to introducing new sanitation technology to the state and finding the most efficient, affordable and eco-friendly solutions. In October of 2019, we organized an Innovations in Sanitation Convening with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to introduce their new Reinvented Toilet technology to more than 60 key stakeholders in the state. We plan to organize similar convenings in the future to introduce innovative solutions, new research and best practices.
Financial Resources
WAI is seeking funding sources to help homeowners with the expensive process of converting their cesspools and failing septic systems. We are working with the EPA, Hawaiʻi Dept. of Health (DOH), USDA’s Rural Development Office and private foundations to bring together federal, state and philanthropic funding to help homeowners. We will focus on low- and moderate-income households in high-priority areas where sewage pollution from cesspools threatens ground- & drinking water, streams or coastal waters.
Policy & Advocacy
WAI is working with a coalition of groups to pass legislation and update policies that will help convert the state’s worst cesspools and reduce the 53 million gallons of untreated sewage that are discharged into the state’s waters each day. We are working on a number of bills this legislative session that will create pilot projects to test out new sanitation technology and provide funding for low- & moderate-income homeowners in high-priority areas; require inspections of Individual Wastewater Systems (IWS) and conversion of cesspools and failing septics during property transfers, and create an online database for all IWS.
Community Outreach & Education
WAI is committed to working with homeowners and community groups to learn more about their needs and share the environmental and health threats associated with cesspools and sewage pollution. We will continue holding community talks, public presentations, workshops and convenings to educate the public about wastewater pollution & regulations and get their buy-in on the benefits of converting their cesspools and failing septic systems.
Pilot Projects
WAI is working with key stakeholders to create successful demonstration projects that can serve as models for the rest of the state. We are collaborating with community groups, wastewater companies, government agencies, researchers, wastewater engineers and contractors to design and implement cutting-edge pilot projects. In this way, we will build on these five pillars to create a strong foundation for the most efficient, affordable and practical sanitation solutions.
History
WAI founders Stuart Coleman and John Anner are passionate about protecting our marine environment and joined forces in 2019 to help find solutions for Hawaiʻi’s cesspool and wastewater issues. Stuart is an avid surfer, and John is a dedicated free diver, and both spend a lot of time in and under the water. Gradually, it became evident that water quality was deteriorating due to sewage pollution from cesspools and failing septic systems. So they joined forces several years ago to find effective solutions for Hawaiʻi’s wastewater issues.
