STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3454

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 74

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.R. No. 74, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTS THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO IDENTIFY BARRIERS AND SOLUTIONS TO EXPANDED WATER REUSE IN THE STATE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Health to convene a task force to identify barriers and solutions to expanded water reuse in the State, and to request the task force to submit its findings and recommendations in a report to the Legislature.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Ulupono Initiative, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Wai Maoli Hawai‘i Fresh Water Initiative, Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu, The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that decreasing rainfall, increasing evaporation from rising temperatures, and increasing demand from population growth combine to place pressure on the State's fresh water supply. Your Committee further finds that increasing the amount of water reuse in the State will alleviate pressure on the State's fresh water supply. Accordingly, your Committee finds that the State would benefit from a task force to identify barriers and solutions to expanded water reuse in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding a representative from a public agency with permitting or implementation authority over wastewater to the membership of the task force; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 74, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 74, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair