GOVERNOR LINGLE NOMINATES KEN KAWAHARA AS DLNR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF WATER RESOURCES
For Immediate Release: June 7, 2007
HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle has nominated Ken C. Kawahara to serve as the deputy director of water resources for the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Kawahara’s appointment will need to be approved by the Commission on Water Resource Management.
Kawahara has extensive experience in civil and environmental engineering for wastewater collection, treatment and disposal; water and biosolids reclamation; and master-planned subdivisions. His professional background includes surveying, planning, design, contracting, construction, construction management, regulatory compliance and environmental quality monitoring.
“Ken’s expertise and extensive background in all facets of water resource management will greatly enhance the commission’s ability to effectively fulfill its responsibilities as the trustee of our state’s water resources,” said Governor Lingle.
Kawahara currently works for the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services as its communications officer. He previously managed the department’s Regulatory Control Branch and worked on Hawai‘i’s first Urban Area Pretreatment Program. He also was responsible for the Reclamation Program’s biosolids reuse and recycled water projects, and coordinated activities with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state Department of Health and other agencies to maintain water quality and standards.
He has worked as a consultant at the city’s Wai‘anae Wastewater Treatment Plant, where he was a construction engineer for upgrading from primary to secondary-treated wastewater. Kawahara was part of the design and post design-service team for upgrading the federal Fort Kamehameha Wastewater Treatment Facility from primary to secondary treatment.
His experience in master-planned subdivisions include managing construction for West Loch Fairways, which involved construction of a shoreline park, wastewater pump station, golf course, and infrastructure including water, storm drain and sewer systems. He also was a construction engineer for the ‘Ewa by Gentry community, which included the development of infrastructure, construction and startup of a wastewater pumping station, parks, golf course grading and landscaping, and water quality monitoring of non-potable wells for irrigation. Kawahara also worked on the Hawai‘i Community Development Authority’s Kaka‘ako Improvement District where he coordinated projects with property owners, tenants and residents on upgrading deteriorating infrastructure.
He has worked for both public service and the private sector including developer Gentry Homes, and engineering and environmental consultants R.M. Towill Corporation and Metcalf and Eddy Pacific.
Kawahara represents Hawai‘i on the advisory board for the Western Regional Pollution Prevention Network, which is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency. He also chairs the Pretreatment/On-Site Treatment Committee for the Hawai‘i Water Environment Association. In addition, he has been actively involved with other organizations including the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Waterworks Association, Hawai‘i Water Environment Association, Solid Waste Association of North America, University of Hawai‘i Engineering Alumni Association, Water Environment Federation, Western Regional Pollution Prevention Network and Pacific Century Fellows.
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For more information, contact:
Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: (808) 586-7708
Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: (808) 586-0043
