HI HB780

Establishes a Desalination Planning Task Force within the Department of Land and Natural Resources to assess whether large-scale desalination is feasible for Hawaii's water supply

Task force membership includes the Director of Health, Board of Agriculture chair, Commission on Water Resource Management chair (serving as task force chair), Office of Hawaiian Affairs CEO, legislative committee chairs, and county water department directors

Requires study of statewide water demand for housing, agriculture, and industrial uses, including evaluation of how desalination could supplement existing groundwater and surface water resources

Mandates consideration of impacts on Hawaiian cultural sites and burial grounds, as well as environmental concerns including high energy consumption of desalination plants

Specifically requires assessment of water system resiliency in light of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility contamination crisis

Task force must submit findings and recommendations to the legislature by 20 days before the 2026 regular session; task force dissolves on June 30, 2026