Water

The Red Hill Community Representation Initiative was formed in the aftermath of the 2021 Red Hill fuel spill in an attempt to give a voice to residents with a vested interest in the review of the fuel storage facility. However, the group has had a rough go of it from the beginning — and its involvement in the process recently took a new contentious turn.

Earthjustice is suing Gov. Josh Green over appointing V.R. Hinano Rodrigues to the state Commission on Water Resource Management. Earthjustice said that since Green restarted the selection process, Rodrigues has been holding his position unlawfully.

The new head of the state Commission on Water Resource Management could be looking for steeper penalties for water code violations and quicker responses to water emergencies.

The state Commission on Water Resource Management just approved an Oʻahu-specific plan to guide water use until 2040. It's part of an ongoing update to the larger, statewide Hawaiʻi Water Plan that hasn’t been changed in about 25 years.

A second round of meetings is underway to discuss a proposal that would raise Oʻahu wastewater fees by 115% over the next decade. The Conversation talked to Roger Babcock, director of the Honolulu Department of Environmental Services, about the reaction to the price hikes at recent town hall meetings.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources has denied a contested case hearing over a 30-year water license for real estate company Alexander & Baldwin — a win for those who want to stop stream water diversion in East Maui.

Hawaiʻi was one of seven recipients of an Environmental Protection Agency grant to retrofit water fixtures in elementary schools and preschool centers. The Conversation talked to Dr. Diana Felton, the toxicologist for the state Department of Health, about preventing lead in our drinking water.

The City and County of Honolulu plans to implement a series of rate increases spanning a decade to help pay for infrastructure upgrades and upkeep. It's the first increase since 2016.

It has been a hot summer, and limited water resources are becoming an issue in parts of Maui. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol has more.

The Honolulu City Council wants weekly testing of monitoring and drinking water wells following the 2021 leak at the Navy’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.