The city approved permits for some $1 billion in new hotel and condominium projects over the past three years in Waikiki without a clear picture of the condition and capacity of sewer and water lines, and roads in the community, say residents who are pushing officials to update a 12-year-old infrastructure master plan for the state's No. 1 tourist destination.

Residents and some lawmakers say without an updated infrastructure plan, the city can't analyze current infrastructure demands and future needs in Waikiki and can't accurately determine whether a new project will have adverse affects in the densest community in the state — and one of its biggest economic engines.

They also say the city is moving forward blindly, with no assurance that new projects to repair sewer and water lines, repair roads and update utilities will meet future needs. And they point to the massive spill two years ago of raw sewage into the Ala Wai Canal, which spurred beach closures and made national headlines, as an example of what happens when infrastructure fails or is overtaxed.

"You have to preserve the integrity and the reputation of this as a pristine tourist destination," said Bob Kessler, president of the Waikiki Area Residents Association.

The city concedes that without a new infrastructure assessment, which the City Council requested be updated two years ago, it is unclear whether the existing sewer, water, power and road systems are sufficient for future growth.

But it also says that permitting in Waikiki is just like in any other community — if the current infrastructure that would serve a project is not sufficient, then that project is denied.

"If we can't assure there's enough capacity, then we would not allow the project to go ahead," said Henry Eng, director of the city Department of Planning and Permitting. Eng said planners do look at state population and employment forecasts to calculate roughly the amount of growth expected for a given area, however.

He added, "the crystal ball isn't that clear."

LOTS OF PROJECTS

The flap comes as several high-profile condominiums and hotels are going up in Waikiki, and as more businesses are moving in as part of large redevelopment plans. Set to open soon are the Allure Waikiki and the Watermark Waikiki, luxury condominium projects with more than 500 units between them. Other smaller residential and loft projects are also in the works. Then there is the five-star Trump Hotel and Tower, which is expected to open in 2009 with 464 units, all of which sold in a one-day buying blitz in 2006, and the Hilton Grand Waikikian, which is set to open late this year and have 331 units.

Meanwhile, several new projects are bringing more businesses into Waikiki, including the $535 million redevelopment of Waikiki Beach Walk on Lewers Street and an $85 million revamping of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.

In all, the projects will add to the just over 30,000 hotel rooms in Waikiki, bolster its part- and full-time population and increase the number of people coming into Waikiki daily to work. About 20,000 people live in Waikiki — a figure that has not increased much over the last decade.

And on any given day, there are about 75,000 tourists in Waikiki and more than 30,000 workers.

CITIES' COMMON ISSUE

The discussion on infrastructure comes as cities across the country are tackling aging sewer and water lines, overstressed roads and taxed power grids. Michael Chandler, a national expert on infrastructure and urban planning and an officer with the American Planning Association, said more and more cities are realizing that city planning is as much about thinking about today as it is about tomorrow.

He said many cities have used infrastructure master plans as a way to handle future growth, and he recommends such studies. "You've got to be cognizant of the cumulative effects of projects," he said.

But hotel industry officials point out that much of the redevelopment in Waikiki is centered on renovating existing hotel rooms, not adding them, and sometimes even decreasing the number of rooms in a building.

Beyond what's already under way, "nobody is really projecting much growth in Waikiki," said Rick Egged, head of the Waikiki Improvement Association.

"There's just no more room to build additional developments. From a visitor industry perspective, I believe we're probably reducing the stress on infrastructure (by building) ... higher quality, more family oriented hotels with fewer rooms," he said, adding he believes the city has a "good handle" on infrastructure.

Eng also said that in the case of Allure Waikiki, the developers covered the bill for $6 million in sewer improvements as a condition of getting a permit. Eng said if the improvements weren't made, the permit would have been denied because the sewer system as it was would not have handled the load.

The example, Eng said, illustrates how the city is making sure the system isn't overtaxed.

Still, lawmakers say they are concerned with the lack of an updated infrastructure assessment for Waikiki — by far the largest economic engine for the tourism industry. Tourism-related activities in Waikiki alone account for about 10 percent of Hawai'i's gross state product, according to state figures.

KEEPING UP WITH GROWTH

Councilman Charles Djou, whose district includes Waikiki and who requested the infrastructure update, said it is not about stopping growth in Waikiki, but making sure that growth is managed better.

"Tourism is the heart of Hawai'i's economy. Waikiki is the heart of the tourism industry. But how much more can Waikiki handle before bad things occur?" he said. "It's important that policymakers as well as residents have a baseline understanding of the infrastructure in Waikiki so we can plan for the future."

State Rep. Tom Brower, who lives on Hobron Lane in Waikiki, agreed, adding that an infrastructure meltdown in Waikiki would be catastrophic to the economy. He doesn't support slowing growth in Waikiki, but would like to see a better plan for moving forward. "We want smart development," he said.

The concerns come two years after a 43-year-old sewage pipe ruptured, sending 50 million gallons of untreated wastewater into the Ala Wai Canal. The incident hurt tourism, as news of the sewage dump drew national attention, and kicked off a $20 million project to repair and upgrade the system.

The project did not increase the capacity of the sewer line, however. But it did create an emergency bypass line for use in the event the primary line is overloaded.

The city has said it was aware the pipe at Kai'olu Street — which gets sewage from Waikiki and neighboring communities — needed to be repaired, and was working to address it when the rupture happened.

It also said there are plans to address infrastructure in Waikiki as part of a massive, islandwide push to revamp aging sewer and water lines, pothole-ridden roads and other infrastructure. The city is asking for about $5 million to repair some sewer lines in Waikiki in the coming fiscal year, along with other projects.

RESIDENTS SPEAK OUT

Some other sewer work has already been done in the community.

But residents say they see the need for more comprehensive attention to their community.

And they say the Kai'olu Street break should have been enough to spur a Waikiki-wide inventory of infrastructure concerns. So some are asking why the 1996 carrying capacity study for Waikiki has not been updated and won't be in the near future, despite a City Council resolution — passed a little over a month before the Ala Wai sewage break on March 24, 2006 — that asked for a new analysis of infrastructure.

THE 12-YEAR-OLD STUDY

The 1996 infrastructure assessment, included in the "Waikiki Planning and Program Guide," outlined existing conditions in Waikiki and made suggestions for improvements to sewer and water lines, the power grid and drainage systems designed to accommodate future growth under different zoning conditions.

Some of the suggested improvements have not yet been completed, though it is unclear how many.

Eng said his department did begin an update to the infrastructure study, but found preliminary data were little help. In a Feb. 20 letter to Kessler, Eng wrote that the information from different agencies was "inconclusive as to whether there is sufficient infrastructure to support continued growth in Waikiki."

Eng said the study was stalled because of other priorities and staffing shortages.

There is no plan to start the study again any time soon.

That has some residents asking how the city can approve new projects.

"It's kind of like they're keeping their nose in the books when the world is burning all around them. Waikiki is a tiny speck of land and you've got a huge amount of buildings and everything else crammed in there and we're getting more and more development," said Louis Erteschik, vice chairman of the Waikiki Neighborhood Board. "It seems to me that for smart planning, we better make sure we have this study."

Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.