Water conservation urged on Maui

Advertiser Staff

With scant rainfall, and demand for water increasing, the Maui County Department of Water Supply is urging voluntary conservation by Upcountry residents.

The Upcountry area is under a drought emergency declared Dec. 4, 2002, with voluntary restrictions for customers.

The department now says it may have to require a 10 percent mandatory cutback in water use if reservoir levels cannot be maintained.

According to a statement issued by the department, treatment facilities, reservoirs, ditches and other water sources are running well below capacity, while demand has increased to 9.8 million gallons per day.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service is forecasting a dry summer.