A ban on building new residential pools through 2030 is now in place in West Maui, Hawaii, following the passage of Bill 161.

The Maui County Council, on January 23, 2026, passed Bill 161 to enact a temporary ban on new private swimming pools in the West Maui Community Plan Area. The bill was passed as part of broader efforts to conserve scarce water for housing and wildfire recovery. Mayor Richard Bissen signed the measure into law on January 27.

Under Bill 161, no county employee or agency may issue permits for new private swimming pools in West Maui until Dec. 31, 2030, unless certain water-availability conditions are met sooner. These include the completion of groundwater studies and a formal determination by the State Commission on Water Resource Management that the system has reliable capacity to meet demand.

The ordinance includes exemptions:

• New pools for homes being rebuilt in the Lahaina fire impact zone that previously had a pool.

• Repairs to existing pools.

• Public pools such as community or resort pools.

• Applications filed before the ordinance’s effective date.

Council Member Tamara Paltin, who represents West Maui and introduced the bill, said the restriction is needed to “prioritize essential needs during a time of water scarcity,” focusing available water on housing rather than nonessential amenities.

Supporters argue that West Maui’s limited potable water should be directed toward residents rebuilding after the August 2023 wildfires and towards the creation of workforce housing, rather than for luxury features like pools.

Data cited in council discussions noted that a typical swimming pool in the Lahaina area uses about 56 gallons of water per day, compared to around 500 gallons for an average household.

The Maui County Department of Water Supply (DWS) provided water-use figures and supported water conservation considerations but also recommended broader conservation measures beyond a pool ban. In earlier discussions, the county added rules requiring pool covers to reduce evaporation — a separate conservation measure tied to a watershortage bill. Public response to the proposed ban has been mixed and contentious in online forums and discussions: Some residents and commentators argued that pools use a relatively small amount of water compared to high-use landscaping or golf courses and that the ban unfairly targets homeowners rather than larger water users. Others pointed to private water use practices like irrigation systems and golf courses as major contributors to water strain.

Maui County Council members, including Paltin and several others, backed the interim ban as a tool to conserve water for essential needs.

The Maui County Board of Water Supply also recommended support, viewing the measure as a piece of broader water management efforts.

Broader conservation policies, such as requiring pool covers, were also enacted alongside the new pool ban.

Bill 158 — now ordinance 5929 — requires all private pools to be covered at all times when not in use during the day, if the property is vacant, or if the pool is unused for more than 30 consecutive days. Public pools are encouraged, but not required, to use covers.

The ordinance, which applies to all of Maui County, goes into effect for new pools on March 1, 2026. Owners of existing private pools have until March 1, 2027, to comply with the cover requirement.

Violators may face fines of $500 per offense. Repeat offenders may face water service disconnection or meter removal.