By Christie Wilson
Advertiser Maui Bureau Chief

WAILUKU, Maui -- The Maui County Board of Water Supply today declared a drought emergency for the Upcountry region and is urging affected residents and businesses to conserve water.

The dry conditions that have caused reservoir levels and ditch flows to drop precariously low are not serious enough yet to impose mandatory water use restrictions.

Most of Upcountry depends on surface water supplies. The rest of island gets its water from underground aquifers that are not as susceptible to drought.

The Department of Water Supply is working to bring an additional 1 million gallons a day into the Upcountry system from underutilized wells to offset the impact of the drought.

To see the department's tips on saving water, go to www.mauiwater.org/conserve.html.

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