HRS §174C-45
Choosing areas for water use regulation
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗When the commission decides to put water use rules on an area, it must look at three things: if the water supply is shrinking, if pollution is getting worse, or if there are serious fights over water. This section only lists what the commission must consider.
state agencies
The statute, as written — Surface water criteria for designation
A copy, taken August 20, 2026. The version published by the Legislature is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.
In designating an area for water use regulation, the commission shall consider the following: (1) Whether regulation is necessary to preserve the diminishing surface water supply for future needs, as evidenced by excessively declining surface water levels, not related to rainfall variations, or increasing or proposed diversions of surface waters to levels which may detrimentally affect existing instream uses or prior existing off stream uses; (2) Whether the diversions of stream waters are reducing the capacity of the stream to assimilate pollutants to an extent which adversely affects public health or existing instream uses; or (3) Serious disputes respecting the use of surface water resources are occurring.
LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.