In 1987, the State Water Code was adopted by the Hawaii Legislature, which set in place various layers of protection for all waters in the Hawaiian Islands. The State Commission on Water Resource Management -- also known as the Water Commission -- sets policies and approves water allocations for all water users, including the Board of Water Supply. Although under the Code, primary responsibility for the protection of groundwater resources was assigned to the State Department of Health, the Board of Water Supply continues to maintain policies to regulate and protect watersheds and activities over the island's basal aquifers.
