WAILUKU, Maui — Mandatory countywide water use restrictions are being considered by the Maui Department of Water Supply as ditches that capture stream water drop to alarmingly low levels and the prospects for more rainfall are bleak, The Maui News reported today.

"Although (the community) has been conserving and doing a great job, the situation I believe needs more, and that's what we're looking at," Water Director Jeff Eng told The Maui News on Saturday.

Water use is down, indicating the public has been trying to conserve. But, Eng said, the department is "extremely concerned about the current state of the drought and the near and midterm weather forecasts."

Upcountry surface water sources were most dire. The Wailoa Ditch, which gathers water from the East Maui watershed and channels it to the county's Kamole Water Treatment Facility, is averaging 12.4 million gallons of flow out of 200 million gallons of capacity, "nearing all-time record low flows," Eng said. On Friday, Wailoa Ditch flow had dropped to 11.9 million gallons.

The 30-mg Waikamoi Reservoir was empty. One of the Kahakapao Reservoir's two 50-mg basins was empty, and the other held only 19.7 million gallons. The 50-mg Piiholo Reservoir had 34.1 million gallons.

"With the lack of rainfall in the East Maui watershed, the Upcountry water system is being severely tested," he said.

Eng said he did not know when he would make a decision whether to institute mandatory water cutbacks, but said Wailoa Ditch flows would be a "key" factor.

While countywide restrictions are a possibility, the department could also look at more limited cutbacks in certain geographical areas, starting with Upcountry.

"My biggest concern are the systems most dependent on surface water," Eng said.

He was not certain how large a cutback was on the table but noted that last summer the department imposed a mandatory 10 percent cutback in water use Upcountry.

"It's really tough to ask for more," he said. "But the situation might call for more."

Eng said he is also exploring the possibility of putting the county's restricted Hamakuapoko Wells into use. Public concern about pesticide contamination in the Paia-based wells led the County Council to pass a law banning their use for human consumption last year. But Eng said he hoped to reach an agreement with East Maui Irrigation to provide up to 1.4 million gallons a day of the treated water for irrigation in exchange for water that could be added to the county system.

Average daily water demand Upcountry was 8.36 million gallons per day for the week of July 3-9.

The Kamole plant draws 5 million to 6 million gallons from the Wailoa Ditch, and the Kula Agricultural Park requires 1.5 million to 2 million gallons daily to keep its booster pumps operating properly, according to Eng.

"What little water remains is required by the sugar plantation to prevent its crops from literally dying," Eng said. "Its planting operations have ceased."

Eng said he also was concerned about West Maui water supplies.

"The West Maui water system is also dependent on surface water, but not to the extent as Upcountry," he said. "The Honolua Ditch is currently at extremely low levels, and it is the source of water for the Mahinahina Water Treatment Facility. Due to the very low ditch flow conditions, recent daily production is over 30 percent less than the months of May and June."

West Maui water demand averaged 6.22 million gallons, slightly less than the week before (6.44 mgd) and down from the month of July in 2007 (6.77 mgd).

The National Weather Service reported no significant change in Maui's dry conditions since June 16.

"Low stream levels in windward Maui have been inadequate to support both lowland taro farming and surface water diversions for public consumption in Upcountry Maui," the service said.

On Moloka'i, consumers of irrigation water from the Kualapuu Reservoir in west Moloka'i remain under a mandatory 20 percent reduction in water use, the weather service said.

The outlook for rain was for below-normal amounts throughout the normally dry summer months in Hawaii, the service said. "The outlook now extends the below-normal rainfall forecast through November ... which is well into the start of the normal wet season."

For more Maui news, visit www.mauinews.com.