Bill > SB1539

This bill addresses the financial challenges of the Waiahole water system, a 26-mile-long irrigation infrastructure on Oahu constructed between 1912 and 1916 that currently diverts approximately 27 million gallons of water daily. The Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC), which was authorized in 1998 to acquire and manage the system, has been burdened by ongoing debt from the acquisition. To alleviate this financial strain, the bill appropriates funds from Hawaii's general revenues: $4,411,426.49 to be deposited into the Waiahole water system revolving fund, $426,370 for fiscal year 2025-2026, and $427,172 for fiscal year 2026-2027 to reimburse the state general fund for debt service on reimbursable general obligation bonds. These appropriations are intended to help the ADC maintain and improve the water system's efficiency and support diversified agriculture in the state. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2050, which is unusually far in the future and might be a typographical error.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1539&year=2026