Kauaʻi water utility unveils $1.3 billion plan to rebuild aging system
The Kauaʻi Department of Water has proposed a $1.3 billion overhaul of the island’s century-old water system, citing urgent needs to protect drinking water supplies, reduce wildfire risk and support affordable housing development.
The draft plan, developed over three years, outlines 150 projects, with 70 prioritized for completion in the next 20 years at a cost of $680 million, according to a Civil Beat report. Utility manager Joseph Tait said the lack of system connections leaves much of the island vulnerable, referencing last summer’s South Kauaʻi fire that came dangerously close to neighborhoods.
The utility, which has not raised rates in 12 years, expects to seek a significant increase alongside federal and state funding. Approval from the state Commission on Water Resource Management is expected to be sought in early 2026.
Officials emphasized that the plan is critical to shifting from reactive maintenance to systematic upgrades and to providing the infrastructure needed for both wildfire protection and long-delayed housing projects.
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