Why we're rethinking wastewater

Schedule A Call

In Hawaiʻi cesspool pollution is a problem and mandatory upgrades are unaffordable.

Founded on O‘ahu, WaiHome has developed a suite of aboveground technologies to better provide Hawai‘i's communities with affordable wastewater systems.

News

Updates from in and out of the yurt!

July 2026
Meeting the Mandate!
‍Mata can now be installed as a treatment unit in a cesspool upgrade.

July 2026
Cesspool Upgrade Discussion
‍Hawaiʻi Island realtor Dylan Nonaka had James on the podcast to talk cesspool upgrades.

Two people sitting outdoors facing a vibrant sunset with orange, pink, and blue hues in the sky, one person with braided hair and glasses resting on their head, the other gesturing with their right hand.

July 2026
Natasha Passed Her Last Architecture Licensing Exam! A trip to the Ossipoff Cabin was a timely celebration.

Report Title Page: Design Response to Hawai‘i Constraints

May 2026
Report | Where Mata Excels - and Where Conventional Systems Fall Short

April 2026
3rd Party Water + Odor Testing Complete! The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has finished conducting an evaulation of Mata's performance.

April 2026
Representative Ilagan says Mata is the technology he's most excited about. Built Here: Hawaii Innovation Showcase at the Capitol

Close-up of a person using a blue cloth to polish carved letters on a wooden sign that reads 'AWANE' placed on a workbench.

March 2026
WaiHome Sign Pilot Site Gets a Sign Upgrade
Schedule a visit!

Greg and Natasha walking on a dirt path bordered by wooden posts and rope with grass and trees on either side, at the Kilauea volcano.

Feb 2026
A stop at Kīlauea after a pilot site visit in Volcano.

A round green and white yurt with lattice windows in a lush garden, with a dog standing at the entrance steps surrounded by leafy plants.

Jan 2026
Come get a tour of our pilot site from Eyes the yurt dog!
‍He's loud but that just means he cares.

2024
Lots of fun on HiNOW Daily!
No you bought new shoes to go on tv.

Water Infrastructure designed in Hawai'i for Hawai'i.

WaiHome was founded in 2021 on the Island of Oahu from a simple realization: wastewater “solutions” in Hawai‛i were failing. Cesspools remain massive polluters, and septic upgrades are financially unfeasible. Here are a few critical reasons change can't come soon enough.

| Location

Nearly 35% of homes in Hawaiʻi still rely on cesspools, many located in flood-prone or high groundwater zones. This means that 53 million gallons of untreated sewage enters our ground and coasts every day.

| Regulatory Pressure

New cesspools have been banned statewide. By 2050, 84,000 existing cesspools must be upgraded or replaced. Without affordable solutions, this deadline is impossible.

| Insufficient Choices

Shallow bedrock, groundwater tables, small property sizes, steep slopes all limit conventional underground systems.

| Cost of Excavation

“Approximately 97% of all residents with cesspools… would be financially burdened by the cost to convert.” -Carollo Engineers. Septic systems cost between $30,000-$60,000.