SB 848: RELATING TO DESALINATION.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO DESALINATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to establish a desalination planning task force to determine whether the use of desalination for large-scale water consumption in the State is feasible.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  There is established within the department of land and natural resources a desalination planning task force for administrative purposes.

     (b)  The task force shall comprise the following members:

     (1)  The director of health or the director's designee;

     (2)  The chairperson of the board of agriculture or the chairperson's designee;

     (3)  The chairperson of the commission on water resource management or the chairperson's designee, who shall serve as chair;

     (4)  The chief executive officer of the office of Hawaiian affairs or the chief executive officer's designee;

     (5)  The chairs of the senate and house of representatives standing committees on water and land or their designees; and

     (6)  The director or manager and chief engineer of each county's department or board of water supply.

     (c)  The task force shall:

     (1)  Conduct a study to determine the water demand for housing, agriculture, and industrial uses throughout the State, including in high-need areas;

     (2)  Examine the feasibility of using desalination as a source of clean and safe drinking water to supplement the State's existing groundwater and surface water resources;

     (3)  Determine the extent to which the use of desalination will:

          (A)  Assist the State in meeting its projected future water needs; and

          (B)  Improve the resiliency of the State's water systems, considering in particular the impacts of the water crisis caused by the contamination at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility;

     (4)  Determine whether it is feasible for the commission on water resource management to integrate desalination into its overall water management plans;

     (5)  Consider the extent to which the construction of desalination plants may affect or interfere with historical sites and Native Hawaiian cultural sites and practices, including burial sites; and

     (6)  Address environmental concerns associated with the operation of desalination plants, including high energy consumption and disposal of brine concentrate.

     (d)  The members of the task force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

     (e)  No member of the task force shall be subject to chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statues, solely because of the member's participation in the task force.

     (f)  The department of land and natural resources shall provide administrative assistance to the task force.

     (g)  The task force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

     (h)  The task force shall cease to exist on June 30, 2026.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

Potable Water; Desalination; Planning Task Force

Description:

Establishes a Desalination Planning Task Force to examine the feasibility of, and develop a plan and timeline for, the use desalination as a source of potable water in the State.  (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to desalination.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to establish a desalination planning task force to determine whether the use of desalination for large-scale water consumption in the State is feasible.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  There is established within the department of land and natural resources a desalination planning task force for administrative purposes.

     (b)  The task force shall comprise the following members:

     (1)  The director of health or the director's designee;

     (2)  The chairperson of the board of agriculture or the chairperson's designee;

     (3)  The chairperson of the commission on water resource management or the chairperson's designee, who shall serve as chair;

     (4)  The chief executive officer of the office of Hawaiian affairs or the chief executive officer's designee;

     (5)  The chairs of the senate and house of representatives standing committees on water and land or their designees; and

     (6)  The director or manager and chief engineer of each county's department or board of water supply.

     (c)  The task force shall:

     (1)  Conduct a study to determine the water demand for housing, agriculture, and industrial uses throughout the State, including in high-need areas;

     (2)  Examine the feasibility of using desalination as a source of clean and safe drinking water to supplement the State's existing groundwater and surface water resources;

     (3)  Determine the extent to which the use of desalination will:

          (A)  Assist the State in meeting its projected future water needs; and

          (B)  Improve the resiliency of the State's water systems, considering in particular the impacts of the water crisis caused by the contamination at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility;

     (4)  Determine whether it is feasible for the commission on water resource management to integrate desalination into its overall water management plans;

     (5)  Consider the extent to which the construction of desalination plants may affect or interfere with historical sites and Native Hawaiian cultural sites and practices, including burial sites; and

     (6)  Address environmental concerns associated with the operation of desalination plants, including high energy consumption.

     (d)  The members of the task force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

     (e)  No member of the task force shall be subject to chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statues, solely because of the member's participation in the task force.

     (f)  The department of land and natural resources shall provide administrative assistance to the task force.

     (g)  The task force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

     (h)  The task force shall cease to exist on June 30, 2026.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

Potable Water; Desalination; Planning Task Force

Description:

Establishes a Desalination Planning Task Force to examine the feasibility of, and develop a plan and timeline for, the use desalination as a source of potable water in the State.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 292

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 848

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 848 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DESALINATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a Desalination Planning Task Force to determine whether the use of desalination for large-scale water consumption in the State is feasible.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that desalination may present a viable alternative water source to supplement the State's natural water supplies.  Your Committee further finds that desalination is used in many places around the world to produce fresh water from brackish water or seawater.  However, your Committee recognizes that there are challenges to the large-scale implementation of desalination in the State.  Accordingly, this measure would establish a Desalination Planning Task Force to examine the feasibility of, and develop a timeline for, the use of desalination as a source of potable water in the State.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by specifying that the Desalination Planning Task Force shall also consider the disposal of brine concentrate when addressing the environmental concerns associated with the operation of desalination plants.

     Your Committee acknowledges the Department of Land and Natural Resources' request for an appropriation to fund the employment of a contractor to assist the Department in conducting a statewide desalination study.  Your Committee finds that this request merits further consideration and respectfully requests the Committee on Ways and Means to examine this matter.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 848, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 848, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,