Water Board

The Board of Water Supply for the County of Hawaii governs the Department of Water Supply, which operates the Big Island's public water system serving tens of thousands of customers across Hilo, Kona, and rural communities island-wide. The board sets water rates, approves the department's budget and capital improvement program, adopts water use and well construction rules, and makes policy decisions about the long-term reliability of the island's water supply. It also manages the county's water reservoirs, transmission lines, and storage infrastructure.

Every Big Island resident and business connected to the county water system is directly affected by the board's decisions on water rates, supply reliability, and infrastructure investment. In a drought-prone island environment with complex aquifer and surface water systems, the board's long-term planning decisions determine whether water remains affordable and available.