(a) When it can be reasonably determined, after conducting scientific investigations and research, that the water resources in an area may be threatened by existing or proposed withdrawals or diversions of water, the commission shall designate the area for the purpose of establishing administrative control over the withdrawals and diversions of ground and surface waters in the area to ensure reasonable-beneficial use of the water resources in the public interest.

Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 174C-41

  • Board: means the board of land and natural resources. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 174C-3
  • Chairperson: means the chairperson of the commission on water resource management. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 174C-3
  • Commission: means the commission on water resource management. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 174C-3
  • county: includes the city and county of Honolulu. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 1-22
  • Ground water: means any water found beneath the surface of the earth, whether in perched supply, dike-confined, flowing, or percolating in underground channels or streams, under artesian pressure or not, or otherwise. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 174C-3
  • Reasonable-beneficial use: means the use of water in such a quantity as is necessary for economic and efficient utilization, for a purpose, and in a manner which is both reasonable and consistent with the state and county land use plans and the public interest. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 174C-3
  • Water management area: means a geographic area which has been designated pursuant to § 174C-41 as requiring management of the ground or surface water resource, or both. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 174C-3
(b) The designation of a water management area by the commission may be initiated upon recommendation by the chairperson or by written petition. It shall be the duty of the chairperson to make recommendations when it is desirable or necessary to designate an area and there is factual data for a decision by the commission. The chairperson, after consultation with the appropriate county council, county mayor, and county water board, shall act upon the petition by making a recommendation for or against the proposed designation to the commission within sixty days after receipt of the petition or such additional time as may be reasonably necessary to determine that there is factual data to warrant the proposed designation.
(c) Designated ground water areas established under chapter 177, the Ground-Water Use Act, and remaining in effect on July 1, 1987, shall continue as water management areas.

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