[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 82 (Thursday, June 5, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1159-E1160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   LEGISLATION TO AUTHORIZE CERTAIN BUREAU OF RECLAMATION ACTIVITIES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NEIL ABERCROMBIE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 5, 2003

  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, today, Representative Ed Case and I are 
introducing legislation to authorize certain Bureau of Reclamation 
activities that will have profound impacts on the future of Hawaii's 
economy.
  The legislation is a companion bill to one introduced in the Senate 
by Senator Daniel Akaka and Senator Dan Inouye. It will expand the 
scope of the Bureau of Reclamation water resources study authorized by 
the 105th Congress as well as authorize three specific projects needed 
to address Hawaii water needs. This law, the Hawaii Water Resources Act 
of 2000, included Hawaii in the Bureau's wastewater reclamation program 
and expanded its drought relief programs to include Hawaii.
  Although one of Hawaii's greatest assets is its tropical climate, 
there are vast areas where little rainfall occurs and conditions are 
very similar to that of the high arid regions of the mainland U.S. In 
addition, similar to current conditions in these U.S. areas, drought 
conditions have been occurring in most recent years.
  The most recent projection of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply 
indicates that the island of Oahu will exhaust the fresh water supplies 
of the island by the year 2018. Seventy-two percent of Hawaii's 
population lives on Oahu, so it is easy to imagine the cataclysmic 
consequences of ignoring the dire warnings that are being sounded. 
There are numerous efforts underway at both the State and local levels 
to begin addressing problems, such as substituting recycled water for 
potable water when appropriate, improving storage to preserve surface 
water, and implementing conservation technologies.
  Enactment of the legislation will help lead us to long-term 
solutions. There are, however, several projects ready for 
implementation that would begin to mitigate current and future 
conditions. Three of them would be authorized

[[Page E1160]]

under the bill. Briefly, a desalinization facility would be built on 
Oahu, capable of producing 5 million gallons of potable water a day. 
Secondly, on the leeward side of the Big Island of Hawaii, a facility 
is to be built creating subsurface wetlands and an open surface wetland 
to treat effluent and generate useable water. The third project, in 
Lahaina, Maui, is to expand the existing recycled water distribution 
system so that numerous commercial users can substitute readily 
available recycled water appropriately where currently potable water is 
used.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to help find solutions 
to water development, conservation, reuse and recycling in Hawaii.

                          ____________________