New water policy directions from Maui's mayor


The Maui News has an article on Maui Mayor Arakawa's "State of the County" speech last night, and headline focuses on this point:
Arakawa signaled some new directions in policy, including treating East Maui as the major future water source on the island.
[...]
Indicating a shift in his strategy on water planning, Arakawa said that for the long term, he would again pursue the development of water systems in East Maui, which he called "the most obvious source of our island's future water supply."

When he first took office, Arakawa canceled a Board of Water Supply plan to develop 10 wells in East Maui after the East Maui Water Development Plan was challenged by a group of residents and farmers who argued it would interrupt springs and stream flows. Later he pointed to desalinization as a solution to the island's water inadequacies.

On Thursday, Arakawa said he would try to balance the needs of East Maui residents with those of the larger community.

"We must find a way to tap that resource without disrupting the host community's wells and collection systems," he said.

Having personally seen entire streams disappear into tunnels and ditches, leaving stream beds dry while all the water is transported by EMI ditches to Central Maui for sugar cane, my sense is that we should be focused on how to get more water back into East Maui streams, not take more water out of the watershed (and even wells affect surface flow). I'll be interested to hear the reactions from folks like No Ke Aupuni O Ko'olau Hui and Maui Tomorrow (whose email list I maintain, BTW) who have been closely involved in East Maui water issues.

However, this part I like:
In overall water policies, Arakawa also called for a "paradigm shift" that would prioritize "Native Hawaiian traditional and cultural rights, the health of our environment, and the public good, over the profit interests of corporate entities."

Arakawa is engaged in a bid to take over water systems and ditches in upper Wailuku presently owned by Wailuku Agribusiness. The company has said the county may buy the entire 13,000-acre watershed for more than $27 million but isn't legally entitled to purchase the ditches and intakes alone.

Arakawa asked for the support of the County Council "in acting to protect the public's interest in those water resources" should Wailuku Agribusiness and other private businesses fail to act for the community good.


Posted: Fri - January 13, 2006 at 02:00 PM    
   
 
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Published On: Jan 17, 2006 01:17 AM
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