Kahe Beach Park users must settle for ‘porta-potties’ through 2012

KAPOLEI—Despite plans for Kahe Beach Park to update its wastewater system, beach goers have had to settle for “porta-potties” for the last 10 months.

For the avid divers, fishermen, and surfers of the popular beach, also known as “tracks” or “electrics,” located across from Hawaiian Electric Company on the outskirts of Kapolei, the portable toilets have been in place as the beach park’s “comfort station” since January.

The toilets were put in place when the beach park’s actual station was temporarily closed so that roofing could be replaced as part of a lead paint abatement project. However, reopening was put on hold when studies of the comfort station found a bigger problem.

“It was also determined that a new wastewater system is required at the park to replace an outdated cesspool system,” said Les Chang, director of City Parks and Recreation. “The City intends to have the new wastewater system designed and constructed, and will keep the portable toilets available at the site until work is completed.”

According to Chang, portable toilets are immediately put into place when any permanent comfort station is found to be inoperable or closed.

Construction is not slated to begin until fall 2011. Contractors have not been selected yet as the planning of the new wastewater system is still in progress.

Parks and Recreation officials have heard concerns about the vandalism happening on the site to the portable toilets on a daily basis, but have no real solution until the new wastewater system is in place. Construction is expected to be completed sometime in spring 2012.