Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water, Land, Energy and Environment and Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2003 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purposes of this measure are to require state agencies to dedicate a portion of maintenance funds to retrofit older facilities with water saving plumbing fixtures, and to require state agencies to comply with any request by a County Board of Water Supply to reduce water use.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Accounting and General Services, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and City and County of Honolulu Board of Water Supply.

Your Committees have heard that retrofitting with water conservation fixtures will reduce the amount of water used by state agencies that collectively use from 300 to 400 million gallons of water a month, or 10 to 13 million gallons of water a day on Oahu. The Board of Water Supply pumps about 150 million gallons per day, so the State's usage is about seven to nine per cent of the daily pumpage.

Your Committees find that state agencies are among the highest, most visible water users. When the public sees government supporting a request to cutback on water use, individuals are more willing to support the conservation effort.

Your Committees are supportive of this measure and its efforts to conserve water.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, Energy and Environment and Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2003 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.