Water Plans

The Kauaʻi Department of Water and members of the Water Board have completed a 20 year plan known as “Water Plan 2020”.  This is a comprehensive, long range planning effort, to ensure that we continue to provide safe, affordable and sufficient drinking water in the 21st century for our community. The plan reviews existing facilities, and service standards and provides an outline for new and replacement facilities, a capital improvement program for the next 5-7 years, a financial plan, and a rate study.

Kauaʻi’s Department of Water operates 9 separate, unconnected water systems spread out along our island from Kekaha to Haena. Pumping water from 50 underground wells and tunnels and storing it in 58 tanks, DOW delivers water to approximately 21,000 accounts through 400+ miles of pipeline. Many of the water systems date back to the plantation era, and some pipelines are 80-100 years old.

Water Plan 2020 is focused on potable water, used for drinking and fire protection. It addresses the sources, infrastructure, and funding needed to deliver potable water. The plan will not cover issues involving  water for agriculture, stream standards, and watershed management. These issues are the focus of other state and local planning and regulatory processes.

Final Report

This following plan was approved by the Water Board on 3/21/01. Currently, the plan is only available in PDF format.