There are many things we take for granted.
After living in Puako for decades, I am used to waking up to the sound of the waves, seeing the ocean every day, and feeling a quiet gratitude that comes with being so close to one of Hawaii’s most beautiful coastlines.
When something is part of your daily life, it is easy to assume it will always be there.
We turn on the faucet, and the water runs clear. We look out at the ocean, and it still sparkles. We see people snorkeling, paddling, and enjoying the reef, and it feels like Puako is doing just fine.
But under the surface, things are not fine.
The coral coverage on Puako reef has declined from approximately 75% to just 7% over the last 50 years. That is a heartbreaking number, and it should get our attention.
Why Puako Reef Matters
Puako is known for its shoreline charm, tide pools, marine life, ocean access, and old-Hawaii feeling. The reef is a major part of what makes this community so special. It supports fish, protects the shoreline, creates habitat for marine life, and gives residents and visitors a connection to the ocean that is hard to describe unless you have experienced it yourself.
Ancient Hawaiians understood this deeply. The reef was the foundation of a healthy ocean ecosystem. Without a healthy reef, fish populations decline, and food sources and cultural practices are affected.
Today, we still depend on the reef in many ways. It supports recreation, education, local culture, visitor experiences, property values, and the overall health of our coastline. More importantly, it is part of our kuleana. We have a responsibility to care for it.
What Is Causing the Decline?
The problems facing Puako reef did not happen overnight.
One of the biggest concerns is wastewater. Cesspools and inadequate septic systems in the community allow pollutants to travel into the ocean. These pollutants can contribute to algae growth and poor water quality, making it harder for coral to survive.
Runoff, overfishing, and even wildfires all contribute to reef deterioration. This is not a simple problem, and it does not have a simple solution.
That is why the work of Puako for Reefs is so important.
Puako for Reefs Is Creating Real Progress
Puako for Reefs has been working for more than a decade to move this issue into real action. This community effort has involved science, engineering, environmental studies, cultural review, financial planning, County coordination, State support, and ongoing community education.
According to the latest Puako for Reefs update, this has been one of the most important quarters yet for the Puako wastewater project. The organization has reached major milestones at the County, State, and Federal levels.
That is a big deal.
Puako is now further along than any other Hawaii community working toward a comprehensive wastewater solution. That progress did not happen by accident. It happened because people cared, stayed involved, asked hard questions, gave their time, wrote letters, attended meetings, and kept pressing onward.
National Recognition and New Funding
One exciting development is the 2026 Water and Environment Grant awarded to Puako for Reefs by the American Water Charitable Foundation. This grant will help support education and action around the damage caused by wastewater from cesspools and inadequate septic systems. It will also help Puako share what it is learning with other coastal communities across the Hawaiian Islands.
That matters because Puako is not alone. 26 other communities are experiencing similar issues, and if Puako succeeds, it could help create a pathway for other coastal neighborhoods.
Support at the State Level
There has also been important support at the State level. Both houses of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature passed a concurrent resolution encouraging Hawaiʻi County, the Department of Health, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and other stakeholders to work together to complete the Puako Sewer Project.
Puako for Reefs also submitted a $1 million federal earmark request through Senator Brian Schatz’s office. Federal funding is always competitive, but this request shows how serious and well-prepared the project has become. It also brings more attention to the immediate need to protect Puako reef.
Moving Into Formal County Review
At the County level, the project continues to move forward. Puako for Reefs has secured a Memorandum of Understanding with the Mayor, coordinated with County departments, completed engineering and environmental work, completed cultural analysis and financing studies, planned the route, and submitted the full Community Facilities District application.
For the first time, the project is approaching formal County review and evaluation, which is a major milestone.
What Happens Next?
Of course, one of the biggest questions homeowners have is cost.
Puako is a diverse community, and Puako for Reefs has been clear that the financial approach must be equitable, realistic, and sensitive to the different circumstances within the neighborhood. Now that much of the engineering work has been completed and a preferred route has been selected, the organization can begin developing more reliable project cost estimates.
Transparency and community participation will continue to be essential.
Puako for Reefs is also launching a fundraising effort to raise $250,000 for the next phase of work. This funding will help carry the project through technical, legal, financial, and community coordination needs as it moves closer to implementation.
How You Can Help
This is the moment when support really matters.
If you love Puako, if you have ever snorkeled here, walked the shoreline, brought your children to the tide pools, watched the sunset, or simply felt peace by the water, this effort deserves your attention.
There are many ways to help. You can learn more about Puako for Reefs, attend community meetings, share information with neighbors, support fundraising efforts, and stay engaged as decisions are made. You can also talk about the reef with visitors, friends, and family, because awareness is part of stewardship.
COMMUNITY MEETING THIS SATURDAY
FROM VERO BEACH TO PUAKO
How One Coastal Community Successfully Installed a Low-Pressure Wastewater System
The coastal community of Vero Beach, Florida, implemented the same type of Orenco low-pressure wastewater system that Puakō is now strongly considering.
Now, the leader of that implementation effort, Robert Bolton of Vero Beach County, along with Mike Saunders from Orenco Systems, is coming to Puako to share firsthand experience about implementation, operations, maintenance, and homeowner connections.
This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from people who have already navigated the process our community is exploring.
Bring your questions and come learn what a system like this could mean for Puako’s future.
Saturday, June 13
2:00 PM
Hokuloa Church, Puako
Hosted by Puakō for Reefs
Puako reef is not solely an environmental issue. It is a community issue. It is a legacy issue.
For generations, this reef has given us beauty, food, recreation, protection, and a sense of place. Now it needs us to give something back.
A Future Worth Protecting
I encourage everyone who cares about Puako to support Puako for Reefs and the important work they are doing. The future of our reef depends on action, and thankfully, this community has already shown that action is possible.
We are closer than we have ever been.
Now is the time to keep going.
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