State guide
Hawaii
Hawaii’s statewide drinking-water program is the Department of Health Safe Drinking Water Branch, which has a dedicated Lead Service Line page. On the utility side, the large county and city water departments commonly identify customer responsibility at or after the meter, and several utilities publish leak-adjustment or customer-service processes for private-side leaks.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”
- Who usually owns the water service line
- On the official Hawaii utility pages reviewed, the common rule is utility responsibility to the meter or shutoff point and customer responsibility for piping on the customer side of the meter.
- State drinking water program
- Hawaii Department of Health, Safe Drinking Water Branch
- State lead service line page
- Official page →
- Permits for repair or replacement
- The state DOH pages reviewed focus on public-water-system compliance, while local utility pages handle service-connection permitting examples; Honolulu and Kauaʻi say the building permit process requires water-meter clearance, and Maui says its Engineering Division reviews building permits and requests for new or upgraded water service.
- Assistance programs
- No statewide homeowner private-side lead-line grant was found on the Hawaii DOH pages reviewed; local official pages do show leak-adjustment processes, and state DWSRF assistance is aimed at regulated water systems.
Official resources in Hawaii
Hawaii Department of Health Safe Drinking Water Branch
Official statewide drinking water program page with statutes, rules, district contacts, and revolving fund information.
Hawaii DOH Safe Drinking Water Branch Lead Service Line
Official Hawaii lead service line page with LCRR/LCRI materials, inventory template, and notification form.
Hawaii DOH Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
Official state revolving fund page for eligible drinking-water infrastructure projects.
Key facts for Hawaii
- Hawaii DOH says the Safe Drinking Water Branch administers the Safe Drinking Water Program and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
- Hawaii DOH’s Lead Service Line page says EPA issued the final LCRI on October 8, 2024.
- Maui rules say the consumer owns, maintains, repairs, and replaces the water system on the consumer’s side of the shutoff valve.
- Honolulu BWS says the consumer has sole control of water delivered through the meter and is responsible for pipes and fixtures on the consumer’s side of the meter.
- County of Hawaiʻi rules say the consumer has sole control beyond the Department’s meter, but leak adjustments may be granted after repairs.
- Kauaʻi rules place meters at the property line in the public roadway unless the Department installs them elsewhere for operating necessity.
Utility water service line rules in Hawaii
| Utility | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board of Water Supply, City and County of Honolulu Customer Service Honolulu | Honolulu | (808) 748-5000 | Customer-service page with BWS account contacts; BWS rules say the customer is responsible for maintenance and repairs on the consumer’s side of the meter and allow underground leak adjustments. |
| Board of Water Supply Lead and Copper Rule Honolulu | Honolulu | Not published* | Explains Honolulu’s service line inventory covering the entire service line from BWS mains to homes and buildings. |
| County of Maui Department of Water Supply Water Services Maui | Wailuku | 808-270-7816 | Rules and regulations hub for water service, including responsibility provisions and related water-service sections. |
| County of Maui DWS Fiscal/Customer Service Division Maui | Wailuku | (808) 270-7730 | Handles starting or terminating service, water meter questions, high bills, and billing issues. |
| County of Hawaiʻi Department of Water Supply Lead and Copper Rule Revision Hawaii | Hilo | Not published* | Official County of Hawaiʻi LCRR page for service-line inspections and inventory work. |
| County of Hawaiʻi Department of Water Supply General Indoor Tips Hawaii | Hilo | (808) 961-8060 | Directs customers with leak detection, leak adjustment, or related questions to customer service. |
| Kauaʻi Department of Water Applications and Forms Kauai | Lihue | Not published* | Official forms page that includes the Leak Adjustment Request for undetected underground leaks. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Start with the Hawaii DOH Safe Drinking Water Branch lead page, then check your island utility’s service-line or leak-adjustment rules.
- If you suspect a private-side leak, compare the meter reading with all fixtures off and contact your utility’s customer service branch before repairs if a bill adjustment may be needed.
- For new or changed service, ask the island utility whether water-meter clearance or building-permit review is required before work begins.
Not seeing your utility or county?
We list a utility only when an official government page publishes its rules. If yours isn't in the table above, it may not publish them online yet. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Hawaii, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Hawaii's population center, for comparison only):
- San Francisco Public Utilities Commission — Lead Programs, California · about 2361 miles
- SFPUC Customer Services, California · about 2361 miles
- SFPUC New Service Installations, California · about 2361 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.Hawaii Department of Health Safe Drinking Water Branch
Website →Phone: (808) 586-4400 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Hawaii page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- Who is responsible for the water line to your house?
- The curb stop, meter and property line, explained
- Water line leak in your yard: what to do
- Water service line replacement costs
Water line responsibility check →
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