Ka Wai Kupuna, Water of our Ancestors

The Ka Wai Kupuna (Water of our Ancestors) fundraiser will occur throughout 2023 and 2024 with the goal of $1,000,000 to update Waimea Valley’s 50-year-old water system, which needs a complete replacement. Updating the water system will help improve:

• water conservation by reducing water line breaks.

• irrigation issues in the gardens to preserve our botanical gardens containing many rare and endangered plants from Hawaii and around the world.

• restroom and kitchen water accessibility to avoid a complete shutdown of the Valley.

In 2021 a water system assessment was completed and determined that a complete overhaul is necessary to address the aging water system. A community fundraising committee has been formed that established the $1,000,000 fundraising goal over the next 24 months to cover the water system replacement.

The overhaul will take place over a two-year period with the first phase to be completed in 2023. Phase I will replace the water line from Kamehameha Hwy. to the gift shop, connecting to the kitchen and restrooms in the visitor center and pavilion. Phase II will be completed in 2024 and will replace the water line throughout the upper Valley to include a pump station to improve water pressure to the gardens.

The one-million-dollar goal will be broken down into quarterly goals of $125,000. Waimea Valley will contribute 50 cents from every admission ticket sold in 2023 and 2024 to support the fundraising effort. Fund raising efforts will include a go fund me page, using existing Waimea Valley events and several special events planned throughout the year.

Recently, Waimea Valley received the Economic Development Administration grant, to support the construction projects in the Valley which are dependent on a reliable water system.

The first major fundraising community event is scheduled for early 2023