Planning
Our Mission Statement
To develop, coordinate, facilitate, and implement plans and programs that are proactive, achievable and which effectively and efficiently promote the Commission's overall goals to protect and sustain water resources, protect water rights, and obtain maximum reasonable-beneficial use of the state's water resources for the benefit of Hawaii's current and future generations.
Our Vision Statement
To use the planning process to facilitate the sustainable and efficient use of water resources, identify potential conflicts and solutions, and promote the coordinated and integrated development and management of water resources to meet the economic, environmental and social needs of the state.
Hawaii Water Plan
The State Water Code, Chapter 174C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, recognizes the need for a program of comprehensive water resources planning to address the problems of supply and conservation of water and establishes the Hawaii Water Plan as the guide for implementing this policy.
The Hawaii Water Plan consists of five parts: 1) a Water Resource Protection Plan which is prepared by the Commission on Water Resource Management, 2) a Water Quality Plan which is prepared by the Department of Health, 3) a State Water Projects Plan which is prepared by the Engineering Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, 4) an Agricultural Water Use and Development Plan which is prepared by the Department of Agriculture, and 5) Water Use and Development Plans prepared by each separate county.
In 2000, the Commission on Water Resource Management adopted the Statewide Framework for Updating the Hawaii Water Plan (Framework). The Framework was developed to provide guidance in the integration of the various components of the Hawaii Water Plan and to give additional direction to the various agencies responsible for the preparation of its constituent parts. The Commission envisions that implementation of the framework will facilitate achievement of public, stakeholder, and agency goals, values, and objectives to protect and manage our most precious resource.
The Framework advocates the use of an integrated resource planning (IRP) approach. One of the principles of IRP is the consideration of all direct and indirect costs and benefits of demand-side and supply-side management, and augmentation of supply.
Learn more about the Hawaii Water Plan, the Statewide Framework for Updating the Hawaii Water Plan, and the Commission's drought, water conservation, and resource augmentation programs by clicking on the links on the right.
