Haw. Rev. Stat. § 174C-54
If two or more applications which otherwise comply with section 174C-49 are pending for a quantity of water that is inadequate for both or all, or which for any other reason are in conflict, the commission shall first, seek to allocate water in such a manner as to accommodate both applications if possible; second, if mutual sharing is not possible, then the commission shall approve that application which best serves the public interest.
HRS § 174C-54
Petitions for interim instream flow standard amendments are not among the water use permit applications "competing" under this section; the statute relating to instream use protection, § 174C-71, operates independently of the procedures for water use regulation outlined in this part.94 Haw. 97,9 P.3d 409.