Report Title:

Water Conservation by State Agencies

 

Description:

Requires all state agencies to: (1) develop, implement, and maintain a five-year strategic plan for water conservation for its assigned facilities; and (2) comply with requests by county water boards for voluntary reductions of water consumption. (SB2003 HD1)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2003

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

H.D. 1


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO WATER CONSERVATION.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that due to ongoing dry weather and high water use, county boards of water supply have asked for voluntary water conservation measures as water levels continue to fall. In past years, the public has generally complied with these requests, but this is no longer the case – water use rates on the island of Oahu have actually increased over 2000 figures, despite requests for conservation.

The legislature further finds that some of the largest water users are government agencies, and that in some cases these agencies have been slow to comply with requests to cut water use. In addition, government agencies with older, less water efficient plumbing and fixtures use more water, placing additional stress on water supply systems.

The purpose of this Act is to improve water conservation by requiring all state agencies, through the coordination of the department of accounting and general services, to:

(1) Develop, implement, and maintain a five-year strategic plan for water conservation for its assigned public facilities; and

(2) Comply with any request by a county board of water supply to cut water use.

SECTION 2. Chapter 36, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§36-   Water conservation retrofit for public facilities. Through the coordination of the department of accounting and general services, each state agency shall develop, implement, and maintain a five-year strategic plan that encourages water conservation in its assigned facilities, including the installation of low flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets. This plan shall identify standards for water conservation and retrofitting, taking into consideration the cost and effectiveness of such activities and the savings from reduced water consumption. An annual progress report on the plan's accomplishments shall be forwarded by the department of accounting and general services to the legislature twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session."

SECTION 3. Chapter 54, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§54-   Water shortage; compliance with a request for voluntary reduction in water use. When a board determines that a water shortage exists and requests a voluntary reduction in total water use, all state agencies shall comply with the request and reduce water consumption to the level requested by the board."

SECTION 4. Section 54-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "board" to read:

""Board" means the board of water supply or water board of [each] any county;"

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.