Posted on: Tuesday, August 5, 2003

Water-use habits hard to break for some

 • Big water users ignore request for conservation
 • Conservation plan voluntary, for now

By Christie Wilson
Neighbor Island Editor

Water conservation is nothing new to Neighbor Island residents in the state's drought-prone areas.

It's an everyday routine in Upcountry Maui, which has been subject to numerous voluntary and mandatory water restrictions over the years. The region is dependent on a system of rain-fed reservoirs that are vulnerable to drought.

A Department of Water Supply request for voluntary conservation in the Upcountry area, issued in December, remains in effect. Residents "seem to remember" to conserve water whenever possible, said department spokeswoman Jacky Takakura.

But those living in the island's most populated areas — Central and South Maui — are less familiar with water conservation and seem to be ignoring a July 15 notice requesting voluntary conservation, she said.

The notice was issued in response to high levels of pumping at the '?ao Aquifer, which last month was designated a state groundwater management area.

Daily average pumping levels for the week of July 10 to July 17 hit 17.4 million gallons. That number dropped to 17 million gallons from July 17 to July 24, but shot up to 18.7 million from July 24 to July 31, despite the plea for conservation.

"This is something new. Their habits haven't been changed yet," Takakura said.

Maui officials have not yet discussed mandatory water-use restrictions, she said, but that could change if the strain on the water resource continues.

Takakura pointed to a University of Colorado study released last month that concludes mandatory water restrictions are the best way to reduce water use during droughts. The researchers said voluntary restrictions alone are not enough to compel customers to cut back on water use.

On the Big Island, parts of Ka'u, North Kohala, Hamakua and North and South Kona have been under voluntary water conservation restrictions for up to a year.

"The supply is meeting our demand, so it seems to be working," said Milton Pavao, manager of the Department of Water Supply for Hawai'i County. Still, voluntary water conservation is likely here to stay, he said.

"(Dry conditions) have been occurring over the long term. Some of these areas have been in drought for four or five years already," Pavao said, with the drier-than-normal weather expected to last for the foreseeable future.

The Big Island water department uses local newspapers and radio stations to remind residents to conserve water, and there is a fair amount of self-policing going on, he said. "Believe it or not, neighbors report their neighbors if they see them wasting water," Pavao said.

In those cases, the water department will review the customer's records to check on whether consumption is out of line, and may contact the customer to request a better effort at conservation.

Moloka'i and Lana'i also are experiencing drought conditions, but no conservation measures are in effect because demand for water is relatively low.

Kaua'i is the only major Hawaiian island not reporting drought conditions in the U.S. Geological Survey's Drought Monitor.