(a) To obtain a permit pursuant to this part, the applicant shall establish that the proposed use of water:

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Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 174C-49

  • Commission: means the commission on water resource management. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 174C-3
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • county: includes the city and county of Honolulu. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 1-22
  • Department: means the department of land and natural resources. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 174C-3
  • 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 source: means a place within or from which water is or may be developed, including but not limited to: (1) generally, an area such as a watershed defined by topographic boundaries, or a definitive ground water body; and (2) specifically, a particular stream, other surface water body, spring, tunnel, or well or related combination thereof. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 174C-3
(1) Can be accommodated with the available water source;
(2) Is a reasonable-beneficial use as defined in § 174C-3;
(3) Will not interfere with any existing legal use of water;
(4) Is consistent with the public interest;
(5) Is consistent with state and county general plans and land use designations;
(6) Is consistent with county land use plans and policies; and
(7) Will not interfere with the rights of the department of Hawaiian home lands as provided in section 221 of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.
(b) Within sixty days after receipt of a notice of a permit application, the county shall inform the commission if the proposed use is inconsistent with county land use plans and policies.
(c) The common law of the State to the contrary notwithstanding, the commission shall allow the holder of a use permit to transport and use surface or ground water beyond overlying land or outside the watershed from which it is taken if the commission determines that such transport and use are consistent with the public interest and the general plans and land use policies of the State and counties.
(d) The commission, by rule, may reserve water in such locations and quantities and for such seasons of the year as in its judgment may be necessary. Such reservations shall be subject to periodic review and revision in the light of changed conditions; provided that all presently existing legal uses of water shall be protected.
(e) All permits issued by the commission shall be subject to the rights of the department of Hawaiian home lands as provided in section 221 of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, whether or not the condition is explicitly stated in the permit.

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