HB798 • 2026

RELATING TO WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: YAMASHITA
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on how many treatment plants will be affected.

Rules for Wastewater Management

This bill sets rules about when wastewater treatment plants can release treated water into state waters after December 31, 2026.

What This Bill Does

Makes it illegal to put any wastewater or raw sewage into state waters after December 31, 2026.
Allows some small wastewater treatment plants (less than ten million gallons per day) to keep releasing water if they follow rules.

Who It Names or Affects

Wastewater treatment plants
People who release untreated or partially treated wastewater and raw sewage

Terms To Know

wastewater: Water that has been used in homes, businesses, and industries and contains waste products.
raw sewage: Untreated human waste water from toilets and sinks.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens to rights and duties that existed before the law takes effect.
It is unclear how many treatment plants will be affected by this new rule.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment updates the law to prohibit discharging wastewater or raw sewage into state waters after December 31, 2026, with specific exemptions for treatment plants that comply with certain regulations or have a small capacity.

Adds an exemption for treatment plants that are in compliance with relevant laws and rules.
Includes an exemption for treatment plants with a daily capacity of less than a specified number of gallons (the exact number is not provided).

The amendment does not specify the exact number of gallons per day for the small-capacity exemption.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: This amendment updates the law to prohibit wastewater treatment plants from discharging treated water into state waters after December 31, 2026, with some exceptions.

Adds an exemption for treatment plants that comply with certain regulations or have a specific capacity limit.
Clarifies that small treatment plants can continue to discharge if they meet the specified criteria.

The exact number of gallons per day required for the capacity limit is not provided in the amendment text.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-13 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Belatti, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu voting no (2) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-13 H
Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 596) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to JHA.
2025-02-11 H
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Belatti, Souza; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Iwamoto, Shimizu; and Excused: none.
2025-02-07 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 02-11-25 10:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-04 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on WAL with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kong, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-04 H
Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 103) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to WAL.
2025-01-30 H
The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.
2025-01-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Thursday, 01-30-25 9:00AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to EEP, WAL, JHA, referral sheet 2
2025-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-17 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT.
Wastewater; Raw Sewage; Treatment; Discharge; Prohibition
Clarifies the exemptions to the prohibition on discharging any wastewater or raw sewage into state waters after December 31, 2026, including an exemption for treatment plants having a treatment capacity of less than a certain number of gallons per day. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB798

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

798

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to wastewater management
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 342D-50.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended to read as follows:

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"
[
[
]�342D-50.5[
]
�
Treated
]
Wastewater
or raw
sewage; prohibition.
�
(a)
�
Notwithstanding any other law to the
contrary, no person, including any public body, shall
discharge
any [
treated
]
wastewater
or raw sewage into state waters after
December 31, 2026; provided that this section shall not apply to a [
sewage
]
treatment plant that:

����
(1)
�
[
Utilizes sewage to produce
]
Produces

clean energy pursuant to section 196-10.5; [
and
]

����
(2)
�
Is in compliance with this chapter,
rules adopted pursuant to this chapter, or a permit or variance issued by the
director[
.
]
; or

����
(3)
�
Has a treatment capacity of less
than ten million gallons per day.

����
(b)
�
Nothing in this section shall be construed
to:

����
(1)
�
Prohibit the use of reclaimed or
recycled water for a beneficial purpose as provided by law; or

����
(2)
�
Allow the discharge of [
treated
]

wastewater
or raw sewage into state waters in violation of any federal
statute, rule, or regulation."

����
SECTION 2.
�

This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that
were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

����
SECTION 3.
�

Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Wastewater;
Raw Sewage; Treatment; Discharge; Prohibition

Description:

Clarifies
the exemptions to the prohibition on discharging any wastewater or raw sewage
into state waters after December 31, 2026, including an exemption for treatment
plants having a treatment capacity of less than 10,000,000 gallons per day.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.