Kauai Water Department Hosts Public Meeting on Proposed Rate Increases

The Kauaʻi Department of Water brought its proposed rate increase discussion to Kapaʻa on March 11, gathering community members at Kalukalu at 1624, the building long known to locals as the old Otsuka's, at 4-1624 Kūhiō Highway. The two-hour session, held from 5 to 7 p.m., centered on findings from a recently completed comprehensive water systems evaluation and water rate study that the department said will inform decisions about capital infrastructure funding.

The Kapaʻa session was the second in a back-to-back stretch of community meetings. The night before, on March 10, DOW held a similar gathering at Kīlauea Elementary School Cafeteria. County officials invited anyone who missed the Kīlauea session to attend the Kapaʻa meeting instead.

The March 10-11 dates represent only the first half of a broader public engagement push. The DOW's official meetings calendar lists a second round of sessions scheduled for April 7-9, 2026, giving residents across the island additional opportunities to hear the department's findings on capital infrastructure needs and associated proposed rate increases.

The rate study meetings follow a pattern of structured public engagement that DOW has pursued over the past year. In fall 2025, the department hosted a series of community sessions from September 23 through October 2 to present its Water Systems Investment Plan, a comprehensive island-wide assessment of Kauaʻi's water infrastructure. Joe Tait, DOW's manager and chief engineer, framed that earlier planning effort as foundational. "The WSIP is more than a technical document — it's a roadmap for investing in the island's most vital natural resource: water," Tait said at the time. "The plan outlines how and where we should prioritize funding and projects to responsibly manage resources."

The current rate study sessions build on that groundwork, though specific proposed rate figures, percentage changes, or implementation timelines have not been released in DOW's public communications about the March-April meetings.

All DOW public meetings are free and open to the public. Residents seeking additional information can contact the department at 808-245-5461 or by email at publicrelations@kauaiwater.org. The department's main office is located at 4398 Pua Loke Street in Līhuʻe.