Restoring Lahaina: Rapid Sewer Repairs Accelerate Community Recovery

The Lahaina wildfires in summer of 2023 were among the most catastrophic natural disasters in Hawaii’s history — claiming more than 100 lives, destroying over 2,200 structures and displacing more than 5,000 residents. Along with visible devastation, critical infrastructure, including the region’s wastewater collection system, sustained severe damage.

Restoring essential services like sanitation became a top priority to support the safe return of residents and build long-term community resilience. The Federal Emergency Management Agency assigned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to lead hazardous materials cleanup and assess infrastructure damage. 

A key priority for the EPA was to evaluate Lahaina’s wastewater system. To meet this challenge, the County of Maui teamed with Jacobs to deploy Dragonfly℠ — an AI-powered condition assessment tool— across the sewer network. 

"Traditional sewer inspection methods, while effective, were too time-consuming and resource-heavy for the scale and urgency of Lahaina’s recovery,” explains Jacobs Design Manager Carl Koester. “By using Dragonfly, captured video data across 90,000 feet of pipeline in just one month. This rapid assessment allowed us to prioritize repairs and speed up construction planning, making the recovery process faster and more efficient for the community."

Jacobs also deployed a drone team to Maui, providing up-to-date aerial imagery that was used in construction documents and gave the contractors essential context for the $8.1 million in sewer repairs. 

By April 2025, Maui County had completed 78 critical repairs throughout the disaster area, fully restoring sewer service to all homes and businesses in Lahaina — an important milestone in the community’s recovery.

"The rapid restoration of Lahaina’s sewer system has a profound impact.,” says Jacobs Northwest Market Growth Director for Water Court Harris. “It’s helping displaced residents return home and begin rebuilding their lives. Restoring essential services also supports the reopening of businesses and revitalizes the local economy. Jacobs is proud to support Maui’s resilient recovery — demonstrating how advanced technology can accelerate disaster response and improve preparedness for future events.” 

Read more about how Dragonfly helped fast-track recovery and enable safer, faster reoccupation of Lahaina.