SUPPORT HB969: No Toxic Waste Over Our Water

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Last month, the Honolulu mayor proposed placing Oʻahu’s next landfill on prime agricultural land in Wahiawā—just 800 feet above a drinking water aquifer. Given that landfill liners are far from infallible and that all landfills eventually leak, contamination of this drinking water source with toxic landfill “leachate” is not a question of if, but when, if this proposal moves forward.

While we absolutely cannot continue to overburden West Oʻahu with our island’s waste, we also cannot afford to risk contaminating another aquifer—one that will be critical to our future water security.

A bill to protect drinking water aquifers from the potential contamination from landfills or other waste facilities has a hearing this Thursday, January 30 at 9am in the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection (room 325). Please take a moment to submit testimony in support of this bill to safeguard our drinking water future today and for generations. You can also watch the hearing live here.

What the bills do 

HB969 prohibits the construction, modification, or expansion of any waste or disposal facility on land that is near or above a significant aquifer as determined by the Department of Health.

Why is this bill is good 

In addition to the existing half-mile buffer zone for schools, neighborhoods, and hospitals, this bill will add protections to prevent landfills and other waste or disposal facilities from being constructed, modified, or expanded above an aquifer deemed as significant by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health. 

While guidelines exist—such as the Honolulu Board of Water Supply’s “no pass zone,” which advises against siting landfills in areas where porous volcanic rock could allow contaminants to seep into Oʻahu’s drinking water—there are currently no laws requiring decision-makers to follow these recommendations or legally preventing landfills from being placed in these high-risk areas.

Sample testimony

Aloha Chair Lowen, Vice-Chair Perruso, and members of the Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, 

My name is [Your name] and I strongly support HB969 which would prohibit the construction, modification, or expansion of waste and disposal facilities on land above significant aquifers.

This bill is crucial for protecting our vital groundwater resources. Our aquifers are irreplaceable sources of freshwater that sustain our communities and ʻāina. Once contaminated, these water sources can be permanently damaged, putting public health and our environment at risk.

Protecting our water is about protecting our health, our environment, and the future of everyone who calls Hawaiʻi home. 

I urge you to PASS HB969.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

Testimony instructions

  1. Register for a capitol website account if you haven’t yet (youʻll need to confirm your registration by responding to an automated email)

  2. Sign in to capitol.hawaii.gov with your registration information and click the "Submit Testimony" button.

  3. Enter "HB969" where it says "Enter Bill or Measure."

  4. Input your information and your written testimony, select your testimony option(s)—in-person + written, remotely + written, written only. Please consider providing verbal testimony (in-person or remotely) if you are able! 

    *Note: Virtual testimony option may be disabled 24 hours before the hearing.

  5. If you are testifying via Zoom, be sure to review these instructions (page 4)