Deputy Director
The duties of the Deputy Director for Water Resource Management are to administer and implement, under the direction of the Commission, the State Water Code and all rules, and other directives promulgated by the Commission. The Deputy Director must have experience in the area of water resources and is appointed by the Chairperson, subject to the approval of a majority of the Commission.
Ken C. Kawahara, P.E., Deputy Director
Ken C. Kawahara is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Engineering.
Following his education, he served as an environmental engineer at Metcalf and Eddy Pacific and R.M Towill.
At Gentry Homes, Mr. Kawahara oversaw the infrastructure construction and water quality monitoring of non-potable
wells for irrigation in Ewa. He went on to become a licensed engineer in the State of Hawaii and subsequently
served as an engineer for the City and County of Honolulu, Department of Environmental Services, Division of
Environmental Quality. As the Acting Regulatory Control Branch Chief, Mr. Kawahara managed the surveying,
permitting, inspection and enforcement programs for dischargers into the municipal wastewater system.
He was also responsible for the beneficial reuse of recycled water and biosolids programs. Due to his environmental
background, ability to educate and communicate, Mr. Kawahara was appointed as the Communications Officer and
spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Services' stormwater, wastewater and solid waste programs.
Mr. Kawahara has vast experience in environmental engineering including planning, design, construction management, regulatory compliance and environmental quality monitoring. He represents Hawaii on the advisory board for the EPA funded Western Regional Pollution Prevention Network. In his spare time, he volunteers for various environmental and engineering organizations.
