HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0007.04.1 - Dept of Water Supply - response to Comm No 7.4DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY • COUNTY OF HAWAII
345 KEKUANAO'A STREET, SUITE 20 • HILO, HAWAI'I 96720
TELEPHONE (808) 961-8050 • FAX (808) 961-8657
October 5, 2018
Mr. Douglass Shipman Adams, Chair
2018-2020 Hawai`i County Charter Commission
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, HI 96720
Dear Chair Adams and Members of the
2018-2020 Hawai`i County Charter Commission
Subject: Communication No. 7.4
The Department of Water Supply, County of Hawai`i, respectfully opposes Communication No.
7.4 which seeks to amend the County Charter and dismantle the Department of Water Supply in an
effort to create a new Department of Water Sustainability.
Since the inception of semi -autonomous water management in Hawai`i, efforts to amend or
remove it from City and County Charters have surfaced before. For the most part, these efforts
were not carried forth for very good reason. Decision makers of the past have learned that water
infrastructure requires extensive long-range planning beyond the usual term limits of both the
Legislative and Executive Branches of government. While the overall political systems of both
these branches are sufficient to carry forth all other public service within 2 - 8 year term limits,
successful water management needs a much longer span of oversight to stay ahead of current and
future demands for water infrastructure.
The long-standing and effective solution of semi -autonomous governance of water management in
Hawai`i was enacted in 1949 when the Territorial Legislature realized the need for an entity that
would be entrusted with the responsibility of providing dependable, high-quality drinking water to
the people of Hawai`i Island. Thus, Act 86 created the Board of Water Supply of the County of
Hawai`i to ensure all water revenues would be reserved for water distribution improvement. Prior
to this Act, water revenues were comingled with County General Funds, and, because County
funds were always under extreme demand, water improvement priorities were neglected. This
resulted in water supply not keeping up with growth of the County. Additionally, until the Board
of Water Supply was created, these funds were subject to political influence and special interests.
The semi -autonomous governance structure of the Water Board over the Department has served
the public well. The Water Board ensures the Department adheres to the mission and vision by
making consistent, well-informed, and focused decisions in alignment with the Department's
20 -year Water Master Plan. The Water Board and the Department also collaboratively use other
tools to assess and evaluate the progress of the Department's vision and mission. These tools
include the ongoing and dynamic:
... Water, Our9Kost Precious R source ... WaiA Kane ... Comm. No. 7.4.1
The Department of Water Supply is an Equal Opportunity provider and employer.
Mr. Douglass Shipman Adams, Chair
2018-2020 Hawai`i County Charter Commission
Page 2
October 5, 2018
1. Strategic and Business Plan
2. Water Use and Development Plan
3. The Water Master Plan
4. Continuity of Operations and Emergency Response/Action Plans
5. The Department's Rules and Regulations
Long-range planning at the Department of Water Supply, County of Hawai`i, revolves around
the key understanding that water is everyone's most precious resource. In order to provide this
precious resource to over 43,000 accounts serving over 115,000 residents and visitors on Hawai`i
Island, the Department of Water Supply not only has the technical, managerial and financial
expertise required to manage drinking water infrastructure, but it has a governance structure that
is applied to the community as a whole --not subject to political influence. It is important to note
the Board members are not paid, but, instead, are volunteers interested in the good of the entire
community. Board members are able to focus solely on the drinking water of the County of
Hawai`i, not on all other departments of the County.
Itis critical to keep water supply self-sufficient. Maintenance and operation of water systems
assures safe, viable, reliable water is available to support healthy growing communities. The
water fund needs to be independent of good or bad economic conditions to ensure this
fundamental resource supports the existing customer base with reasonable rates.
The current structure of semi -autonomy ensures the highest accountability for the Department to
a non-political entity of citizens. It also provides for the lowest responsible water rates to the
customer with the greatest reliability and safety. Today, most water customers are able to take
their water service for granted. This illustrates how the Water Board and the Department of
Water Supply collaboratively provide safe, dependable water at stable and reasonable costs
while maintaining it as one of the highest priorities for the public in general.
Keith K. Okamoto, P.E.
Manager -Chief Engineer
Sincerely yours,
Water Boar
e, Chairperson
unty of Hawai`i