East Kauai Water System Maintenance

The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Land Division is soliciting fee quotations from irrigation contractors to operate and maintain the East Kauai Water System on government lands within the North Fork Wailua River and Kapaa Stream drainage basins in Kawaihau, Kauai, with proposals due August 7, 2026 by 2:00 p.m.

Bidders must hold a Hawaii state irrigation contractor license. Prospective contractors are required to conduct field inspections to assess capability to operate and manage the system, which includes water diversions on Kapaa Stream and Wailua Reservoir, Upper Kapahi Reservoir, transmission lines, siphons, flumes, and multiple lateral ditches with associated control works. Key operational responsibilities encompass supplying water through the active ditch system, managing reservoir water levels, maintaining ditch intakes, clearing vegetation overgrowth (particularly hau vegetation) from intake ditches and ditch banks by cutting back 5 to 20 feet depending on location, de-silting ditches, removing root ingrowths, mowing slopes, maintaining access roads, conducting routine inspections, monitoring dam water levels, filing required reports, and securing the system. Contractors must demonstrate knowledge of ditch and reservoir systems and capability to maintain operations during large storms and flood events. The scope excludes non-operational system components in the Kapaa area that have been abandoned and does not permit water diversion for irrigation or other commercial purposes beyond system operation and maintenance addressing public health and safety.

The contract term is one year. Successful bidders must register and maintain current compliance information through Hawaii Compliance Express (HCE) prior to award and work commencement. Contractors must comply with Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 103D general conditions, including independent contractor status, nondiscrimination obligations, conflict-of-interest provisions, appropriate licensing and tax compliance, insurance coverage, termination-for-default provisions with a ten-day cure period, and tax clearance requirements from the State of Hawaii and the Internal Revenue Service before final payment.