HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	444
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		S.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO ONSITE-NON-POTABLE WATER REUSE SYSTEMS.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that as an island state, Hawai‘i has limited access to natural fresh water and, unlike in other states, it is not economically feasible to ship in additional supplies when needed.  Competition for fresh water from increasing population, development pressures, and the impact of climate change require that Hawai‘i develop strategies for increasing water conservation, recharge, and reuse in order to ensure fresh water supplies for current and future generations.  The Hawai‘i Fresh Water Initiative, organized by the Hawaii Community Foundation, was developed to increase water security in the State by one hundred million gallons a day by 2030.  This will require more than doubling the amount of wastewater currently reused in the islands to provide an additional thirty million gallons a day in water availability.

     The legislature further finds that the use of recycled water for non-potable applications has proven safe and feasible under existing regulatory regimes in Hawai‘i and many other states, as well as in other industrialized countries of the world.  Onsite water reuse in high-rise and mid-rise developments in particular has proven feasible and safe in New York, California, Japan, Australia, and other locations.  The use of recycled water generated onsite at high-rise and mid-rise developments can replace a large percentage of the future potable water demand of such developments.

     To help reach the 2030 goal for water reuse, the department of health organized a water reuse task force pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution No. 86, S.D. 1 (2018), with the purpose of identifying policies to help scale water reuse in the Hawaiian islands.  Task force participants included representatives from the department of health, board of land and natural resources, commission on water resources management, board of agriculture, Honolulu board of water supply, Hawaii Freshwater Initiative, Hawaii Community Foundation, county representatives, and members of the house of representatives and the senate.

     The purpose of this Act is to require the department of health to evaluate and determine the best practical standards for the State to adopt for alternative, onsite non-potable water reuse systems.

     SECTION 2.  The department of health shall evaluate and determine the best practical standards for the State to adopt for alternative, onsite non-potable water reuse systems.

     The department of health shall submit a report of its evaluation findings and determination of the standards to adopt for alternative, onsite non-potable water reuse systems, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than July 1, 2020.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2019.

 

Report Title:

Department of Health; Onsite Non-potable Water Reuse Systems; Report

 

Description:

Requires DOH to evaluate and determine the best practical standards for the State to adopt for alternative, non-potable water reuse systems.  Requires DOH to report to the Legislature.  (SD1)

 

 

 

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