Commission on Water Resource Management adopts Kauai water plan with six conditions

The Commission on Water Resource Management voted unanimously on Jan. 28 to adopt the Kauai Water Use and Development Plan update for incorporation into the Hawaii Water Plan, with six conditions attached to the approval.

The adoption followed a staff submittal and a presentation by Katie Roth, planning manager for the commission, and comments by Kauai Department of Water manager Joe Tate and the plan consultant. Commissioners asked questions about definitions, outreach to traditional and customary practitioners and funding to carry out the conditions.

Staff recommended adoption with conditions that require the Kauai Department of Water to sequence its next updates with the 2021 Agricultural Water Use and Development Plan and a Water Resource Protection Plan; to request county budget funding for implementation work; and to complete a Ka?ai Water System Implementation Plan and annual progress briefings. One condition requires the county to consult with traditional and customary practitioners and Aha Moku (island/moku) representatives to develop a general inventory of practices for each moku and to include traditional practitioners in future outreach for the Water Systems Investment Plan. Several conditions specify timelines: the inventory and the implementation plan are to be completed within 12 months of contract execution with the selected consultant and quarterly reports to the Commission on progress are required.

Kauai Department of Water manager Joe Tate said the county accepts the conditions and told commissioners that funding shortfalls would be handled by reprioritizing projects: "The funding will be met, if we have to sacrifice less important projects, we will do that," Tate said. County and consultant speakers described ongoing outreach, planned watershed protection and infrastructure priorities, and emphasized coordination between the water system investment plan and water use planning.

Public comment included testimony from Jonathan Levikiki Shoyer, a consultant for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, who urged stronger, consistent outreach to DHHL beneficiaries and said implementation plans must explicitly consider DHHL needs where infrastructure will be developed.

After discussion and an amendment to one condition (adding the phrasing "including but not limited to the Aha Moku island/moku representatives" in the requirement to consult with traditional and customary practitioners), the commission moved, seconded and approved the staff recommendation. The roll-call vote recorded six ayes and one absence: yes 6, no 0, abstain 0, absent 1 (Commissioner Ho). The meeting minutes show the motion carried unanimously among members present.

Why it matters: The Kauai update is the county's planning document for water supply, watershed protection and infrastructure investment. The adopted conditions require the county to develop implementation plans, perform outreach to traditional and customary practitioners, and report regularly to the state commission — steps staff said will make the plan more actionable and strengthen ties between planning and federal funding opportunities.

Planning next steps: Kauai Department of Water will request the funding indicated in the conditions in the county budget cycle and begin the inventory and implementation plan work within 12 months of executing consultant contracts, and the Commission will receive quarterly progress reports.

Votes at a glance: The commission approved the Kauai Water Use and Development Plan update with conditions. Outcome: approved. Tally: yes 6, no 0, abstain 0, absent 1 (Ho).