WATER PLANNING
Watershed Management Plan
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply has begun the development of the district-wide watershed management plans, which will comprise the Oʻahu Watershed Management Plan. These plans will be used to meet the requirements of preparing a county water use and development plan under the State of Hawaiʻi Water Code and City and County of Honolulu ordinance. The Hawaiʻi State Commission on Water Resources Management (CWRM) oversees the development of the County water plans under the State Water Code. These plans will comprise the Hawaiʻi Water Plan.
Online Resources
Learn more about the Hawaiʻi Water Plan
Our Approach
The BWS will develop watershed management plans for each of Oʻahu's eight planning districts through a planning process that will emphasize:
- Community participation and consultation
- Holistic management of watershed resource
- Alignment with important State and City policies and programs
- An action orientation: Implementation of important watershed management programs
- Ahupuaʻa management principles
Our Goal
The overall goal of these plans is to provide short-, mid-, and long-range guidance for the sustainable management and use of Oʻahu's valuable and finite surface and ground water resources in meeting demands consistent with City land use plans.
Our Objectives
- Promote sustainable watersheds
- Protect and enhance water quality and quantity
- Protect Native Hawaiian rights and traditional customary practices
- Facilitate public participation, education, and project implementation
- Meet future water demands at reasonable costs
Watershed Management Plan Development Schedule
2015 to Present:
- East Honolulu Plan
- ʻEwa Plan
- Central Oʻahu Plan
- Primary Urban Center Plan
- Waiʻanae Plan Update
2012 to 2016:
- North Shore Plan
2008 to 2012:
- Koʻolau Poko Plan
2004 to 2009:
- Koʻolau Loa Plan
- Waiʻanae Plan
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Water Management Plan Archive
Review Oʻahu water management plan documents and updates posted online by the Board of Water Supply and archived prior to January 1, 2026.
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Waiʻanae Plan Update
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply and the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting are undertaking an update to the Waiʻanae Watershed Management Plan (WWMP), which was last adopted in August 2009.
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Central Oʻahu Plan
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply is currently developing the district-wide Central Oʻahu Watershed Management Plan (COWMP).
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Primary Urban Center Plan
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply (BWS) is developing the Primary Urban Center Watershed Management Plan (PUC WMP), which will be part of the City Water Use and Development Plan under the State of Hawaiʻi Water Code and City and County of Honolulu ordinance.
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ʻEwa Plan
The Board of Water Supply (BWS) and Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP), City and County of Honolulu are currently developing the ʻEwa Watershed Management Plan (EWMP), which will be used to meet the requirement of the State Water Code and City Ordinance to prepare a county water use and development plan.
Updated: 06/02/2025