Sewer rate increase to go into effect July 1, 2025

News Release from County of Kauai, June 09, 2025

LĪHUʻE – County officials are reminding the public that with the passage of Bill 2874 at the Kaua‘i County Council in September 2022, a sewer rate increase will go into effect on July 1, 2025.

(Editor’s Note: The Honolulu Council apparently used this as a model.)  

“Increasing 11% per year over a 5-year period, funds from this increase will go into much-needed repairs of facilities that are over four decades old,” said County Engineer Troy Tanigawa. “Repairs will avoid costly emergency repairs and will increase the overall efficiency of wastewater operations. We thank the Kaua‘i County Council for their assistance in implementing this change, which will greatly benefit wastewater infrastructure for the island.”

(DO THE MATH: 1.11 x 1.11 x 1.11 x 1.11 x 1.11 = 1.685)

The previous adjustment to wastewater rates was on July 1, 2024.

The rate structure was developed using a Cost of Service Analysis from the American Water Works Association’s M1 Manual, Principles of Water Rates, Fees, and Charges (7th Edition), and the Water Environment Federation’s Manual of Practice No. 27, Financing and Charges for Wastewater Systems.

“The County uses Wastewater Treatment Capacity Assessment revenues and Sewer Connection Charge revenues to pay for wastewater management operating and capital costs, including debt service payments,” added County Engineer Troy Tanigawa.

For more information and to view a copy of the approved Bill 2874 covering the Sewer Rate Increase, contact Donald Fujimoto at 808-241-4084 or dfujimoto@kauai.gov.

###

PDF: Kauai Bill 2874 of 2022