LEGISLATORS TOUR DAGS’ WATERPROOFING PROJECTS AT CAPITOL

Legislators got a chance to see what’s behind the construction barriers at the state Capitol. The state of Hawaiʻi Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) led a walking tour to share what improvements are in store with Capitol workers.

The projects collectively cost an estimated $64 million. These are necessary improvements, said DAGS Director Keith Regan. “As the Capitol has aged over the years, we’ve done as much as possible to keep it operating in the way that it should operate,” he explained. “Every 20 to 25 years, you should be replacing the waterproofing layer that is essential to preventing water from entering the building. To the best of our knowledge, that’s not been done at the Capitol.”

This is why, he said, there have been excessive water leaks into the basement.

The largest project is waterproofing the two one-acre pools. Ultimately, the pools will not contain water; they will host a glass art installation that will greatly extend the public function of the space while conserving about 4.5 million gallons of drinking water a year. The project should be done by December 2026.

The waterproofing extends to the entry plazas at the front and back of the Capitol.

Crews will also resurface the volcano-like structures on both houses of the Legislature, repaint the white columns around the building, and fix deterioration in the underground garage ventilation. The vents are behind smaller square wood barriers on the outskirts of the property.

It’s noisy work now – but Regan asks for patience and promises that in the end, it’ll be for a better state Capitol.