"Given all the indicators — the level of the Wailoa Ditch, the low inflows into our Upcountry reservoirs and the low rainfall — we'd like to send out a clear message to the community to begin their summertime conservation efforts now," Eng said.

A weekly update on water use around the county for the period ending Friday shows consumption is up by 5.7 million gallons a day over the daily average for May 2006, a 14 percent increase in demand.

Higher demand is occurring in all areas except Moloka'i, with the largest increases occurring in Central Maui, up by 3.3 mgd, and Upcountry, up by 2 mgd.

Based on preliminary rainfall data, May is continuing a trend for 2007 of well-below normal rain across the county. In April, the National Weather Service hydrology section reported just two rain gauges, at Oheo Gulch and Kaupo Gap, had recorded normal rainfall.

Oheo showed 36.73 inches through April, 114 percent of normal, while Kaupo showed 42.91 inches, which matched the normal rainfall for the four-month period. But both gauges also showed below-normal rain for the month of April, 83 percent at Oheo and 54 percent at Kaupo. No area in Maui County recorded normal rainfall in April, and most areas were well below 50 percent.

Pu'u Kukui, normally the second wettest spot in Hawaii, recorded 13.13 inches in April, 32 percent of normal, and was at just 46 percent of normal for the first four months of 2007.

West Wailua Iki, a high-rainfall area in the East Maui watershed, received 12.92 inches in April, 59 percent of normal, and was at 78 percent of normal for the year.

The West Wailua Iki rainfall total may be more significant to consumers, since the watershed is the primary source for the Upcountry system, providing drinking and agricultural water for the region stretching from Haiku to Ulupalakua/Kanaio.

The Wailoa Ditch that diverts water from East Maui streams is the county's primary source for Upcountry, supplying the Kamole Weir water treatment plant, which can produce up to 7 million gallons a day.

Otherwise, the Upcountry system depends on storage in reservoirs at Waikamoi (30 million gallons), Pi'iholo (50 million gallons) and Kahakapao (100 million gallons). As of Thursday, Kahakapao held 79 mg, but Piiholo was down to 25 mg and the Waikamoi reservoirs were dry.

Low rainfall during the normally wet winter and spring months is a serious concern for the Upcountry system. The watershed along the northeast slopes of Haleakala encompasses more than 120 square miles of forest that absorbs rainfall in wet periods to be released through the dry summer months into streams that are tapped by county and East Maui Irrigation Co. diversions.

AVERAGE DAILY WATER USE, IN MILLION GALLONS PER DAY

District May 19-25 May 2006 May 2005

Central Maui 28.2 mgd 24.9 mgd 25.2 mgd

Upcountry 9.4 mgd 7.4 mgd 8.5 mgd

Lahaina 6.2 mgd 5.8 mgd 5.6 mgd

Hana 0.4 mgd 0.3 mgd 0.4 mgd

Molokai 1.3 mgd 1.4 mgd 1.4 mgd

Total 45.5 mgd 39.8 mgd 41.1 mgd