Commission approves Waianae watershed project description and accepts petition to designate Waianae aquifer sector as groundwater management area

HONOLULU — On May 20 the Commission on Water Resource Management approved a project description for the City and County of Honolulu’s update to the Waianae Watershed Management Plan and, in a separate vote, accepted a petition from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply to begin the process of designating the Waianae Aquifer Sector as a groundwater management area.

Lede: Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the Waianae watershed project description and to accept the Board of Water Supply’s designation petition; staff said accepting the petition begins the formal designation process, which will include a public hearing, scientific investigations as needed and further consultations before the commission makes a final designation decision.

Nut graf: The watershed‑planning action supports a multi‑year update of the island’s water use and development planning by taking a place‑based approach to supply, demand and watershed health in Waianae, while acceptance of the designation petition launches the statutory process that could result in regulatory controls tied to sustainable yields and stream‑groundwater connectivity in the Waianae area.

What commissioners approved - Project description (Waianae Watershed Management Plan update): Planning branch staff and the Board of Water Supply presented a multi‑phase scope to update the 2011 plan for the Waianae ahupua‘a. The scope proposes island‑ and watershed‑level data updates, demand forecasting (low/medium/high to 2045 with an “ultimate” horizon to 2100 for climate scenarios), stakeholder engagement (four community meetings and many stakeholder briefings), and policy, project and implementation recommendations including identification of “catalyst” projects for near‑term focus. Staff requested one text correction in the project description schedule timeline; commissioners approved the project description…