Hawaii Water Service to acquire Keauhou Wastewater System
Hawaii Water Service (Hawaii Water), a subsidiary of California Water Service Group, has entered into an agreement with Keauhou Community Services, Inc. (KCSI) to acquire its wastewater system assets and provide wastewater utility service to its customers in Keauhou on the island of Hawaii. The purchase is subject to due diligence and approval by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission.
KCSI serves more than 1,500 residential, hotel, and commercial customers, along with the Keauhou Bay Facility and Kahaluu Beach Park, and provides effluent to Kona Country Club, Inc. for golf course irrigation. Hawaii Water has already been operating the Keauhou system since 2018 through an operation and maintenance contract. The utility will continue to invest in local wastewater system infrastructure to keep service reliable for customers and protect the environment.
“We appreciate KCSI’s confidence and trust in us to continue providing reliable, high-quality service to its Keauhou customers,” said Martin A. Kropelnicki, Group President and CEO. “We look forward to providing Keauhou residents, businesses, and visitors the same quality, service, and value all of our customers on the islands have come to expect and deserve, both now and for generations to come.”
PBS Hawaii names Mizutani new president and CEO
PBS Hawaii has named Ron Mizutani as its new president and CEO, effective Feb. 22, 2021. Mizutani currently heads Hawaii Food Bank and was a longtime television journalist. He succeeds the longest-serving PBS Hawaii CEO Leslie Wilcox, who is stepping down after 14 years.
Mizutani, a Kauai native, has been a strong, caring Food Bank leader during the pandemic. He has 33 years of news media experience at KHON News, as an award-winning reporter, anchor and producer. He is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He was selected after PBS Hawaii’s Board of Directors conducted a national search.
“We value Ron’s Hawaii sensibilities, experience,andhis global perspectives,” said Board Chair Joanne Lo Grimes.“We have every confidence in his talent for convening island voices, building community, and advancing education through storytelling.”