Honolulu adopts multi‑year sewer rate package; city outlines CARES assistance, conservation outreach and integrated‑planning next steps

The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services on Wednesday briefed the Council committee on a multi‑year sewer rate package that city officials said was designed to fund operations, maintenance, capital projects and anticipated debt service while shifting costs to encourage conservation. Director Roger Babcock summarized the adopted package (Bill 60, which the presentation identified as Ordinance 205‑27) as a multi‑year rate plan that reduces the monthly base charge initially while increasing volumetric rates over time so that customers who use more water—and therefore generate more sewage—pay a larger share of system costs. Babcock said the current single‑family base charge is $77.55 per month and that under the adopted schedule the base charge will fall to $63.55 on Jan. 1, 2026 and to $48.27 on July 1, 2026 before rising gradually in later years to $73.92. The volumetric charge (per 1,000 gallons) is currently $4.63 and is scheduled to increase under the package (the presentation lists increases to $7.95 and $11.83 in later years, and the schedule reaches $18.11 per 1,000 gallons by July 1, 2031 in the adopted plan). The department presented sample bills to illustrate the distributional effects. For example, a low‑use household consuming about 2,000 gallons per month would see a current monthly total of $84.96, an estimated decrease to $76.27 on Jan. 1, 2026 and to $67.20 on July 1, 2026 (department figures). Higher users—workers with larger households or commercial customers—will see larger percentage increases because the volumetric charge represents a greater share of their bill under the new structure. Babcock summarized the policy intent: “If you use less, you save more.” Customer assistance: Babcock described a CARES (Customer Assistance for Residential Environmental Services) program to offset the impact on lower‑income households. The draft design would offer a credit to eligible residential customers who make at or below 80% of area median income; the department is considering a base‑charge credit around $20 (the presentation noted $20–$25 as options) and said using a $20 credit would extend eligibility to more households. The CARES rollout will require an application, a web portal, outreach and technical assistance; the department said it plans to issue an RFP for an initial contractor to stand up the program and that long‑term administration would move in‑house. Outreach and conservation: DES said it will run a public information campaign beginning this fall, including a rate calculator on the department website, mailers, town halls, social media and collaboration with the Board of Water Supply on conservation tips. The department emphasized measures residents can take to reduce bills, including submetering and graywater reuse. Integrated planning and permit priorities: DES outlined an EPA‑recognized integrated planning process that aligns wastewater and stormwater priorities to maximize water‑quality benefits and to optimize capital spending. The department said its feasibility study identified priorities such as cesspool conversion, watershed management, green infrastructure and water reuse; a full integrated plan funded in the current fiscal year will include public engagement and will be submitted to the state Department of Health and EPA for approval. What’s next: DES plans to begin CARES intake after a short procurement, finalize outreach materials and launch the public campaign ahead of the first January 2026 rate step. The committee asked for follow‑up details on eligibility, the RFP schedule and coordination with the Board of Water Supply.