By HARRY EAGAR
Staff Writer
WAILUKU -- Thursday, Bob Takitani became the first member of the Board of Water Supply to say that restrictions on issuing water meters are almost inevitable.
``At some point in time, much to my dismay, you have to restrict the meters,'' said Takitani. ``We will do everything we can to protect the aquifer.''
Water Supply Director David Craddick was at least as dismayed to hear that as Takitani was to say it. After Takitani further explained his reasoning, Craddick replied: ``If you've got added source'' the move to suspension of new meters would not apply.
Takitani agreed. ``The ultimate solution is still East Maui,'' where the Department of Water Supply is developing new wells.
However, legal challenges have slowed that work and it is not clear when the department will be able to ship water from Haiku to Central and South Maui.
Withdrawals from Iao aquifer are below the threshold at which the state Commission on Water Resource Management is threatening to take control of the water.
But Takitani argued that a suspension of new meters is ``the only logical solution.''
Total demand is growing in Central and South Maui, he said. If conservation programs are successful in permanently reducing current demand, that would allow the department to give out new meters.
But the new use would quickly push demand back up to the levels that worry the state commission. Therefore, the department could never ``build up a cushion.''
``At some point, you have got to put in something about restricting water meters.''
The board was discussing the need for a new groundwater shortage rule -- now called the Iao aquifer water management plan to better describe its intent. The thinking behind that change is that a good rule would help all the time, not just in a shortage.
Lynne Woods, president of the Maui Chamber of Commerce, listed several recommendations from the Water Roundtable that has been studying how the public could assist the department. Reflecting on the previous shortage plan, which was not accepted by the County Council, the round table recommended:
Delete from the rule a provision for the water board to order cutbacks on private wells.
Give the director authority to waive penalties for overuse in a shortage period.
Keep developing new water.
Make strong efforts to survey losses in the present system, promote conservation and educate customers.
The round table, which initially was skeptical of the penalty rates in the proposed rule, decided they were well justified. However, Woods said, the thinking behind them had not been well presented, and the round table advised the department to make a better pitch to the council.
Though a rule governing end use has been greeted with doubt on the council and among the public, there is little, if any, doubt about its necessity at the water board.
Takitani said, ``David has been preaching to us, the only way we're going to do that (manage withdrawals) is by having some kind of hammer.''
That is why Craddick is firm on wanting some kind of control over private withdrawals.
In the new draft, the board interference in private withdrawal rates has been moved to a ``conditional'' section. But Craddick told the board that if county users conserved -- voluntarily or under conservation orders -- while private users simply pumped up the amount being saved, there would be no benefit to the aquifer.
``If they (private well owners) don't react, the Board of Water Supply could ask for designation,'' he said.
That would be ironic, because many of the board's actions for the past several years have been designed to forestall state designation.
In the new draft of the management rule, the water levels in the wells that would trigger the water watch, water warning or critical water situation alerts have been raised, so each situation would come sooner.
Board Member Jim Murray said, ``I think we need different triggers. We need to address irrigation.'' He added, not only in Iao aquifer.
A ray of hope was provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, which has been reviewing the sustainable yield from Iao aquifer, now set at 20 million gallons per day.
Jonathan Starr of Kaupo pointed out in testimony to the commission last month that a published list of infiltration vs. withdrawal showed Iao as the only aquifer in the state giving out more water than it takes in -- 15 mgd in vs. 19 or 20 mgd out.
Starr speculated that the sustainable yield would have to be revised downward by millions of gallons. But the Geological Survey's initial conclusion is that infiltration was underestimated and may be around 29 mgd.
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Psy 412 Miami University. Last revised: . This document has been accessed times since July 15, 1997. Comments & Questions to R. Sherman .