Maui has two problems with water that might have a symbiotic solution. One problem is that construction is affected by the “Show Me the Water” law, which requires developers to prove a new source of water to develop new projects. That is difficult to do. The other problem is the millions of gallons of wastewater (treated sewage) going down injection wells every day.
Injection wells are deep holes in the ground, near shoreline areas like Kahului Harbor, and there is no doubt that the water in the wells seeps its way into the ocean. Reefs near the wells are more damaged than elsewhere and swimmers report high levels of MRSA (staph infections). Our wastewater is treated before putting it down the wells, but not to the highest levels possible. Besides, even having something called “wastewater” on an island with a water shortage is contradictory.
If we could purify the water better and lay some new pipe, we could get this precious resource to where we could put it to good use. The idea is being discussed that if developers would foot the bill to help us make better use of our “wastedwater,” they would have essentially “shown new water” and they could be entitled to an equivalent quantity of potable water to develop new projects.
Mayor Charmaine Tavares has stated her intent to phase out injection wells. Unlike many seeming tree-hugger issues, there really isn’t an opposing side here.
Nobody really believes that if money were no object there aren’t better ways to make use of “wastedwater.”
Many details would need to be worked out. This would require community support, political will and county departments working together creatively on how they would debit and credit each other for these “water offsets.”
I don’t mean to imply that these are the only two problems Maui has with water. Just that these two problems might help solve each other.
Maury King
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