The County’s policy is to promote water conservation. The council finds and declares:

A. Water is a valuable natural resource that should always be used wisely and be managed as a public trust.

B. Unrestricted water use for nonessential needs may endanger the adequacy of the County’s water supply for essential needs.

C. A water conservation plan is essential to preserve water resources and to reduce the risk and severity of water shortages. Such a plan will significantly reduce the long-term and short-term consumption of water, thereby preserving available water for the future requirements of the County, while minimizing the hardship caused to the general public. The enactment of a water conservation plan is further necessary in order to preserve and protect the public health, safety, and welfare. (Ord. 3379 § 2 (part), 2006)

A. No later than January 5, 2007, the board of water supply shall transmit to the council proposed elements of a water conservation plan. The proposed elements shall include, but not be limited to, water use regulations relating to outdoor watering, leak detection and prevention, and water reuse.

B. Within one hundred eighty days of the board of water supply’s transmittal required by subsection A of this section, the council shall enact a water conservation plan by ordinance.

C. Within one hundred eighty days of the ordinance required by subsection B of this section and at least twice per year thereafter, the board of water supply shall transmit to the council a report on the effectiveness of the water conservation plan and, with the report, may propose amendments to the water conservation plan.

D. Within one hundred eighty days of any amendment to the water conservation plan, the board of water supply shall transmit to the council a report on the effectiveness of the water conservation plan, as amended, and may propose further amendments to the plan. (Ord. 3379 § 2 (part), 2006)

The council shall approve by resolution any water source development agreement with private entities. For purposes of this section, a “water source development agreement with a private entity” means an agreement, executed by the County and any person, to develop water resources by constructing a structure to capture, convey, store, and treat currently unutilized, nonpotable surface waters; constructing facilities for currently unutilized ground water and its treatment, including pumps, motor control stations, pump control, or disinfection contact time tanks; constructing desalination facilities; or using any other technique that provides or recaptures water that is acceptable to the State of Hawaii department of health, together with any easements required for the improvements. This section shall not apply to County contracts that are subject to the Hawaii public procurement code, as set forth in chapter 103D, Hawaii Revised Statutes. (Ord. 3410 § 1, 2006)