Clean Water Branch

The Clean Water Branch

The Clean Water Branch (CWB) protects the public health of residents and tourists who enjoy playing in and around Hawaii’s coastal and inland water resources. The CWB also protects and restores inland and coastal waters for marine life and wildlife. These goals are accomplished through statewide coastal water surveillance and watershed-based environmental management through a combination of permit issuance, monitoring, enforcement, polluted runoff control projects, and public education.
Apoha says Aloha/E Komo Mai

Recent Announcements

See below for a list of pinned announcements and the 5 most recent announcements from the Clean Water Branch. Announcements include updates on rulemaking, uploads of informational documents, and other informational announcements. To see all announcements, go to the Announcements Page.

(PINNED) The Clean Water Branch Water Quality Data Page is Temporarily Unavailable

Aloha! The water quality data page is temporarily unavailable. We are in the process of upgrading our websites to better serve Hawai’i. Please visit this page for any areas currently under an advisory: https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/cwb/#!/landing. This will include any beaches sampled that require an advisory due to elevated fecal indicator bacteria counts. Questions? Please feel free to contact […]

(PINNED) Hawaii Functional Equivalent Discharge Strategy – Workshops

UPDATED September 20, 2024 The Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) is moderating a series of stakeholder workshops as part of its efforts to develop a strategy to address functional equivalent discharges in the State. This strategy is intended to implement the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife […]

(PINNED) CWB Announces New Requirement for Electronic Signature Approval for All Submissions Beginning January 31, 2023

The Department of Health (DOH), Environmental Health Administration (EHA) e-Permitting Portal received Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Rule (CROMERR) certification by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for electronic signature. Currently, Applicants and Permittees may now certify and submit EHA Electronic Signature Forms electronically through the EHA e-Permitting Portal without the need to physically send in an ink signature […]

November 13, 2024 Public Hearing for Proposed NPDES Permit for Sunrise Capital, Inc.

The Department of Health, Clean Water Branch held an in-person and online public hearing on the proposed NPDES Permit for Sunrise Capital, Inc. on November 13, 2024 at 10:00 am at the Kauai Agriculture Association building in Kekaha, Island of Kauai, Hawaii. The video recording of the hearing can be viewed on YouTube at  https://www.youtube.com/@dohcwb.

Kailua Neighborhood Board Town Hall Presentation

On August 14, 2024, the Clean Water Branch (CWB) participated in a town hall presentation for the Kailua Neighborhood Board. At the town hall, the CWB gave a presentation on information related to water quality within the Kailua Bay area. A copy of the presentation is provided at the link below. TownHallMeeting_CWB_August2024

New Common Water Conditions FAQs

The Department of Health Clean Water Branch receives many common water pollution complaints that are perceived to be caused by illegal pollutant discharges but are actually naturally occurring. Some of the more common complaints are presented in an FAQs document accessible at the link below. Also presented are what you can do to protect our […]

Request to Access a Government Record and WPC Viewer Update

Downloading documents from the WPC Viewer is not available at this time.  If you would like a copy of a specific record, please complete the Request to Access a Government Record Form.  Follow the directions and email the completed form to [email protected] with the subject line “Request to Access a Government Record.”  Be advised that […]


Active Public Notices and Upcoming Public Hearings

See below for a list of active public notices and scheduled upcoming public hearings.

Active public notices are those public notices that are still in their public comment period (i.e., the CWB is still accepting public comments on the public noticed documents). Upcoming public hearings are those public hearings that have been scheduled but have not yet been held.

Click on the applicable post for more information related to that public notice or public hearing, including instructions on how to participate in the public participation process.

Supporting documents for active public notices can be accessed here.

If there are no posts other than the informational post listed here, then there are no active public notices or upcoming scheduled public hearings.

Notice of Clean Water Branch Recommendations for Water Pollution Control Permit for Schofield Barracks Wastewater Treatment Plant NPDES Permit No. HI 0110141

NOTICE OF CLEAN WATER BRANCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PERMIT FOR SCHOFIELD BARRACKS WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT NPDES PERMIT NO. HI 0110141 DOCKET NO. HI 0110141 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD November 6, 2024 – December 6, 2024 The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), Clean Water Branch (CWB) tentatively recommends to the Director of Health (Director) to renew […]

Notice of Proposed Water Pollution Control Permit for Outfalls of Mana Plain Drainage Ditch System NPDES Permit Nos. HI0021940 and HI0021945

NOTICE OF PROPOSED WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PERMIT FOR OUTFALLS OF THE MANA PLAIN DRAINAGE DITCH SYSTEM NPDES PERMIT NOS. HI 0021940 and HI 0021945 DOCKET NOS. HI 0021940 and HI 0021945 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD October 29, 2024 – November 29, 2024 The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), Clean Water Branch (CWB) tentatively recommends to the […]

CWB Begins Public Comment Period and Schedules Public Hearing on November 13, 2024, Regarding Proposed NPDES Permit Renewal for Sunrise Capital, Inc.

STATE OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED RENEWAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PERMIT FOR SUNRISE CAPITAL, INC. NPDES PERMIT NO. HI 0021654 DOCKET NO. HI 0021654 OCTOBER 11, 2024  The State of Hawaii, Department of Health, Clean Water Branch (CWB) is scheduling a public comment period from […]

NOTICE OF PROPOSED REVISION TO HAWAII’S BEACH MONITORING PROGRAM

The Department of Health (DOH), Clean Water Branch (CWB) will receive written comments on proposed revisions to the Hawaii Beach Monitoring Program. The document is available at https://health.hawaii.gov/cwb/files/2024/08/Hawaii-Beach-Monitoring-Program-Rev.2_9-1-2024.pdf Written comments will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, September 13th, 2024, through e-mail at: [email protected] or postal mail at Clean Water Branch, 2827 Waimano Home […]

Active Public Notices and Upcoming Public Hearings Information

The Department of Health, Clean Water Branch (CWB) will post information regarding active public notices and upcoming scheduled public hearings on our website on the Active Public Notices and Upcoming Public Hearings Page as well as an updated list on our Home page. Active public notices are those public notices that are still in their […]