The federal Environmental Protection Agency is penalizing Hawaii County $40,700 for failing to meet a cesspool closure deadline.

The EPA said Monday that it issued a compliance order in 2005 for the county to close 30 large-capacity cesspools.

The agency says the county missed the deadline to close two of the cesspools that accepted untreated waste from 27 residences in the Komohana Heights subdivision in Hilo.

However, the county subsequently installed a new wastewater collection system to connect the homes to the existing county sewer.

The EPA’s Pacific Southwest region office says it’s continuing the effort to close large-capacity cesspools to protect drinking water and nearshore water resources in Hawaii.