Tourism is Hawaii’s largest industry, and if the state doesn’t address half of its 88,000 cesspools, drinking water and swimming areas could be contaminated. Luckily, Jensen Precast’s NPCA-certified plant in Kapolei has a precast solution.
Due to the leaking effluent from these aging cesspools, the Environmental Protection agency issued a mandate to close and replace all large-capacity cesspools with an alternative wastewater system. Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources contacted a private consulting firm to design new septic systems for all beach parks and facilities with large-capacity cesspools on all islands.

Photo courtesy Jensen Precast
According to General Manager Garret Lau Jensen Precast was hired to manufacture a 3,000-gallon septic system (5-feet-9-inches wide by 16-feet-10-inches long by 6-feet-9-inches tall) for Waimanalo Beach Park. All septic tanks manufactured by Jensen Precast are IAPMO listed, meeting universal product code standards, and approved by the Hawaii State Department of Health.
The company assisted with delivery and setting the precast tank. Field assistance is offered with most of its precast products, which often gives needed assurance for the local contractor and owner that the job is done right.
“Many times, contractors will not have equipment with enough capacity to handle such heavy loads, and thus, tug, push or drag the unit, which may damage the product,” he said. “We have a 25-ton crane truck, and this ensures the owner that the product is delivered, hoisted and set properly in the pre-excavated hole.”

Photo courtesy Jensen Precast
With a backlog of construction plans waiting to be permitted, the company expects to see a rise in work starting soon. He said Jensen Precast’s septic tanks offer the best solution for the state’s problem because each tank is designed to handle Hawaii’s soil conditions.
“At any job that we encounter a high water table, our tanks are designed to handle the lateral loads that are present with saturated soils,” he said. “If a septic tank is not designed in this way, there will be a chance of failure.”
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