SB329 would add a new requirement to Hawaii’s water pollution laws directing that, by January 1, 2045, a specified minimum share of treatment works effluent be recycled water classified as R-1 and suitable for use in recycled water systems. The bill is aimed at expanding reuse of treated wastewater rather than discharging it, and it frames that goal as part of the state’s water pollution and water supply management policy.
The bill also requires each county to submit a feasibility report to the Department of Health by January 1, 2027. Those reports must evaluate whether treatment works effluent can be recycled at a level that protects human health and the environment and is sufficient for irrigation or other recycled water system uses. Counties must consider treatment costs, delivery costs, local demand near treatment plants, and other relevant factors when assessing feasibility. The bill’s report title indicates the target is at least 50 percent R-1 recycled water by 2045, although the statutory text shown includes a blank percentage placeholder.
Impact
If enacted, SB329 would amend chapter 342D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by creating a new recycled-water mandate tied to wastewater treatment works effluent and by imposing a county reporting obligation to the Department of Health. It would affect county wastewater planning, Department of Health oversight, and potentially utilities, agricultural users, and other recycled-water customers by pushing more treated effluent into beneficial reuse systems. The bill also includes an effective date of July 1, 3000, which appears to function as a placeholder or drafting anomaly rather than a practical implementation date.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests strong support for the bill in committee. It passed the Senate Agriculture and Environment Committee 4-0 and the Senate Ways and Means Committee 12-0, both unamended. No committee transcripts were provided, so there is no recorded floor or hearing debate to indicate opposition in the materials supplied. Overall, the bill appears to have been received favorably as a water conservation and reuse measure.
Contention
The main policy issues likely concern feasibility, cost, and implementation timing. Counties are required to analyze treatment and delivery costs, local demand, and environmental and public health protections, which suggests potential concern about whether all counties can realistically meet the proposed recycled-water target. Another point of possible contention is the mandate itself: setting a statewide recycled-water percentage for treatment works effluent may raise questions about infrastructure funding, technical capacity, and local flexibility. The bill text also contains drafting irregularities, including a blank percentage in the statutory section and an effective date of July 1, 3000, which may need correction.