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Mr. Douglass Shipman Adams, Chair <br />2018-2020 Hawai`i County Charter Commission <br />Page 2 <br />October 5, 2018 <br />1. Strategic and Business Plan <br />2. Water Use and Development Plan <br />3. The Water Master Plan <br />4. Continuity of Operations and Emergency Response/Action Plans <br />5. The Department's Rules and Regulations <br />Long-range planning at the Department of Water Supply, County of Hawai`i, revolves around <br />the key understanding that water is everyone's most precious resource. In order to provide this <br />precious resource to over 43,000 accounts serving over 115,000 residents and visitors on Hawai`i <br />Island, the Department of Water Supply not only has the technical, managerial and financial <br />expertise required to manage drinking water infrastructure, but it has a governance structure that <br />is applied to the community as a whole --not subject to political influence. It is important to note <br />the Board members are not paid, but, instead, are volunteers interested in the good of the entire <br />community. Board members are able to focus solely on the drinking water of the County of <br />Hawai`i, not on all other departments of the County. <br />Itis critical to keep water supply self-sufficient. Maintenance and operation of water systems <br />assures safe, viable, reliable water is available to support healthy growing communities. The <br />water fund needs to be independent of good or bad economic conditions to ensure this <br />fundamental resource supports the existing customer base with reasonable rates. <br />The current structure of semi -autonomy ensures the highest accountability for the Department to <br />a non-political entity of citizens. It also provides for the lowest responsible water rates to the <br />customer with the greatest reliability and safety. Today, most water customers are able to take <br />their water service for granted. This illustrates how the Water Board and the Department of <br />Water Supply collaboratively provide safe, dependable water at stable and reasonable costs <br />while maintaining it as one of the highest priorities for the public in general. <br />Keith K. Okamoto, P.E. <br />Manager -Chief Engineer <br />Sincerely yours, <br />Water Boar <br />e, Chairperson <br />unty of Hawai`i <br />