The Honolulu Board of Water Supply will receive $18.9 million in federal funding for a new desalination facility, U.S. Sen Mazie Hirono announced on Friday.

What You Need To Know

  • The Kalaeloa Seawater Desalination Project will use reverse osmosis to remove salt from seawater, creating a sustainable water source that can be used during period of drought and will reduce water transfers from Central Oahu to Ewa
  • The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation Title XVI Program promotes the reclamation and reuse of wastewaters and impaired ground and surface water in the 17 western states and Hawaii
  • The facility will produce an initial 1.7 million gallons of clean water per day, with provisions for future expansion of up to 5 million gallons per day
  • Kalaeloa Desalco LLC will construct, operate and maintain the facility, which will be will be built on an empty, 20-acre lot at the end of Olai Street in Campbell Industrial Park

 

Once operational, the Kalaeloa Seawater Desalination Project will use reverse osmosis to remove salt from seawater, creating a sustainable water source that can be used during period of drought and will reduce water transfers from Central Oahu to Ewa.

The funding comes via the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation Title XVI Program, which promotes the reclamation and reuse of wastewaters and impaired ground and surface water in the 17 western states and Hawaii.

“As we work to combat the impacts of climate change, it is important that we protect Hawaii’s natural resources and strengthen our water infrastructure,” said Hirono, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “This project will help reduce reliance on our finite groundwater, while also creating a new reliable and sustainable water source on Oahu to meet increasing demand. Hawaii’s families deserve access to clean, safe drinking water and I am glad this funding will support our sustainability efforts and community growth in West Oahu.” 

The facility is expected to help meet increased demand for potable drinking water and reduce the community’s reliance of groundwater as a water source. It will produce an initial 1.7 million gallons of clean water per day, with provisions for future expansion of up to 5 million gallons per day.

Kalaeloa Desalco LLC will construct, operate and maintain the facility, which will be will be built on an empty, 20-acre lot at the end of Olai Street in Campbell Industrial Park. It is expected to begin operations in 2027.

According to BWS, demand for fresh waster from the Ewa system is near capacity, with the district expected to grow by 30%—approximately 50,000 people—by 2040. The desalination facility is expected to supplement BWS’s ongoing efforts to encourage conservation, use recycled water for non-potable water needs and incorporate brackish and saline aquifer supplies when possible.