THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	203
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND COUNTY OF MAUI TO INVENTORY AND MAP EXISTING R-1 WATER DELIVERY SYSTEMS AND RESERVOIRS IN MAUI COUNTY.

WHEREAS, an average of more than 8,700,000 gallons of treated wastewater is disposed of every day using injection wells on the island of Maui, causing groundwater contamination, algae blooms, and coral reef damage in nearshore waters; and

WHEREAS, to prevent and mitigate further environmental harm, additional infrastructure is needed for treatment, distribution, and storage of reclaimed water for subsequent use; and

WHEREAS, the most desirable uses for reclaimed water are for emergency firefighting, and for irrigation of agricultural lands and landscaping; and

WHEREAS, in August 2023, a wildfire in Lahaina burned an estimated 2,170 acres, killing at least one hundred people, injuring many others, and destroying or damaging approximately two thousand two hundred structures; and

WHEREAS, it is preferable to use recycled fresh water from reservoirs to fight wildfires, rather than ocean water, because the salinity from ocean water alters the chemical composition of the affected soil, leading to barren landscapes that are unable to support native plant life and experience intensified erosion, which carries the salinized soil to other areas; and

WHEREAS, providing firefighters with access to stored reclaimed water with which to fight fires will increase public safety and protect affected lands; and

WHEREAS, water is a scarce and valued commodity that should not be disposed of without careful consideration; and

WHEREAS, without increasing the use of reclaimed water in the State, residents will encounter potable drinking water shortages caused by the overuse of potable drinking water for agricultural, landscaping, or firefighting purposes; and

WHEREAS, using former plantation reservoirs to store reclaimed water will allow for easier access for agricultural and landscaping use for West Maui and will provide firefighters with efficient access to fresh water; and

WHEREAS, an important first step in increasing the use of reclaimed water is to create accurate inventories and maps of existing R-1 water delivery systems and reservoirs that may be used for reclaimed water storage; and

WHEREAS, R-1 water refers to water recycled from wastewater that has undergone oxidation, filtration, and disinfection; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and County of Maui are requested to create an inventory of, and produce maps that identify, existing R-1 water delivery systems and reservoirs on the island of Maui; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and County of Maui are requested to submit the inventory and maps to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Director of the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; and Mayor of the County of Maui.

Report Title:

OPSD; County of Maui; R-1 Water Delivery Systems; Water Reservoirs; Maps; Report to Legislature