STAND. COM. REP. NO. 292

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 848

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 848 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DESALINATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a Desalination Planning Task Force to determine whether the use of desalination for large-scale water consumption in the State is feasible.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that desalination may present a viable alternative water source to supplement the State's natural water supplies. Your Committee further finds that desalination is used in many places around the world to produce fresh water from brackish water or seawater. However, your Committee recognizes that there are challenges to the large-scale implementation of desalination in the State. Accordingly, this measure would establish a Desalination Planning Task Force to examine the feasibility of, and develop a timeline for, the use of desalination as a source of potable water in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by specifying that the Desalination Planning Task Force shall also consider the disposal of brine concentrate when addressing the environmental concerns associated with the operation of desalination plants.

Your Committee acknowledges the Department of Land and Natural Resources' request for an appropriation to fund the employment of a contractor to assist the Department in conducting a statewide desalination study. Your Committee finds that this request merits further consideration and respectfully requests the Committee on Ways and Means to examine this matter.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 848, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 848, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair