A Water Wiki for Maui
East Maui Water Authority – Aha Wai O Maui Hikina
The Community board was created by Maui voters in 2022 and is now operational. The goal of the board is to give the community more direct control over a precious resource and many feel is being too easily prioritized for use by others outside of the East Maui region. The success of Aha Wai O Maui Hikina is of intense interest for many people and this topic will keep everyone updated. For more background and current status, click below.
Revocable Permits: Carmichael Decision
In 2022 the Hawai’i Supreme Court handed down the Carmichael decision, which was a long-running litigation by the East Maui community and allies represented by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation (“NHLC”) against the Board of Land and Natural Resources (“BLNR”), Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. EMI, and Maui County over state water diversion permits in East Maui. The Court ruled that the state’s ongoing practice of permitting A&B to divert more than 100 million gallons of water per day from 33,000 acres of ceded lands violated state water leasing laws. For the complete history of this issue, hit the button, below.
Ha’iku Groundwater: The Consent Decree
The North Shore of Maui has historically had an abundance of rain which has made surface water an easy source of water for domestic and agricultural use. But several factors have led to a shift to increased reliance on groundwater for both these uses. But groundwater, like surface water, needs to be managed responsibly. This topic looks closely at a situation in which the County of Maui made many errors when tapping into Ha’iku area groundwater.
30-Year Lease of East Maui Watershed
This topic is closely related to the one above on the Carmichael decision. The issue has shifted from Revocable Permits to a long-term lease of the water shed. The effect is the same for the East Maui ecosystem and for East Maui residents but legally it is a different problem.
East Maui Stream Restoration: 2014 Contested Case
Restoring streams to a more equitable use of water, and ideally to their natural flow, is an important goal in meeting the requirements of the Public Trust Doctrine. Many years of litigation has resulted in some progress in water use that is consistent with the Trust Doctrine but there is still a lot more that can be done for people and ecosystems that depend upon stream water. This topic provides the history over East Maui stream restoration, starting with the 2014 Contest Case.
Where Does Our Water All Go?
Water usage varies from residential to small farms, to big farms, and to the visitor industry. But not all of these uses need potable water. This topic looks at this issue in detail.
Water Meters
In 2013 the Maui Department of Water Supply (MDWS) shut down their priority list for issuing new water meters. Many people had been waiting years to obtain county water which had driven many people to use catchment or drill a private well for water. This topic will examine how this situation arose and what will happen to resolve it.
Water Quality
Both surface water and ground water can suffer from contaminates, some natural and some man-made. This can affect residents, farmers, visitors, as well as the ecosystem. This topic will go into the issues around water quality and what is being done to both monitor it and improve it.