Water Quality
Clean Water Branch (CWB) CWB protects the public health of residents and tourists who enjoy playing in and around Hawaii’s coastal and inland water resources.
Safe Drinking Water Branch (SDWB) This branch is responsible for safeguarding public health by protecting Hawaii’s drinking water sources (surface water and groundwater) from contamination and assures that owners and operators of public water systems provide safe drinking water to the community.
Surface Water Protection Branch (SWPB). This branch is responsible for the planning and implementation of the nonpoint source pollution control programs for the state. Duties and responsibilities of the Surface Water Protection Branch shall include providing compliance assistance to prevent nonpoint source pollution, administering federal grant funds to prevent and reduce nonpoint source pollution, and conducting planning, engineering analyses, water quality monitoring, scientific studies, inspections, investigations, and enforcement of nonpoint sources of water pollution pursuant to HRS, Chapter 342E.
Wastewater Branch (WWB) This branch administers the statewide engineering and financial functions relating to water pollution control, municipal and private wastewater treatment works program, individual wastewater systems program and the water pollution control revolving fund program.
DOH Water Quality Plan
The 2019 DOH Water Quality Plan is available FINAL-DOH-Water-Quality-Plan-2019 (PDF).
DOH has updated the Water Quality Plan, which is an important component of the Hawaii Water Plan. The 2019 Water Quality Plan provides information on DOH’s ongoing water quality work across many of its different programs, as well as lay out its future direction by setting goals and priority action items. It also examines and discusses potential solutions for the water quality challenges that DOH faces. We welcome your comments and suggestions on the Plan via email to [email protected].
Last update: 18 November 2025