Navigation
Home
State Constitution
See Articles XI and XII
State Water Code
State Water Plans
State Stream Assessment
Surface Water
State Water Commission
Important Media
Maui County
Kauai
Hawai`i Island
Oahu
Public Trust Doctrine
Hawaiian Cultural Knowledge
Legal Cases
Legislation
Blog
Issues
Hawaii's 1000 Friends
We need to ask the questions of how much water we have, what is our carrying capacity and what about our natural resources.
Former Hawai`i Governor
George Ariyoshi (1974 -1986)
Aloha mai and welcome to All Things Relating to Water, your online resource for cultural, legal and political information about fresh water in Hawai`i. - Download & view the Na Mea Wai PowerPoint presentation Here. View and print our Na Mea handbill Here.
;)
Hawai`i's Groundwater
View a color illustration of how Hawaii's miraculous natural groundwater (drinking water) system operates Here
;)
Groundwater contamination
View a color illustration of how Hawaii's vulnerable aquifers (drinking water) are being routinely contaminated Here
The goal of this website is to inform and empower you as a citizen to fight for your right to free-flowing water in the streams of your ahupua`a and the right of all of us who call Hawai`i home to sustainable water resources for life today and for future generations. Water has been managed as a public trust in Hawai`i from time immemorial.
Before the arrival of Captain Cook, water was managed within ahupua'a. It was the kuleana of everyone as stewards of the resources within their ahupua`a to malama i ka `aina.
In the 19th Century, the Hawaiian Kingdom held Hawaii's rivers, streams, seashore, and ocean in trust for all its citizens. In granting land ownership interests during the Great Mahele (1848-1850) the Hawaiian Kingdom expressly reserved its soveriegn rights to encourage and even to enforce the use and enjoyment of lands for the common good. In maintaining this sovereign right, a public trust was declared upon all the waters of the Kingdom.
Today in Hawai`i, as in every community in the world faced with population growth and virtually unchecked development, there is a growing imbalance between water use and water resources in our ahupua`a. Aquifers are emptying faster than rains can recharge them. Streams and wells are adversely impacted because of diversions for development and large agribusinesses. Legislation is written and passed to protect landowners, often at the expense of sustainable water practices for the public good.
On these pages you can find out about Hawai`i's unique Public Trust Doctrine as it is reflected in the state water code HTF's public trust brochure HERE.
Hawaii's Thousand Friends believes that you will act when you understand your rights and protections under the State Water Code (see link at left) and when you see the erosion of our public resources due to lack of enforcement and improper implementation of the code.
We invite you to join the host of activists who are committed to ensuring that the fresh water resources of Hawai`i remain sustainable for future generations.