A Dec. 13 letter writer urged that the county be in charge of developing water sources, then supported proposed amendments to the water availability bill under review by the council.

Is the letter writer aware that several of those proposed amendments would have changed the existing ordinance in ways that did nothing to ensure more county-developed water systems?

One proposed amendment actually exempted any private water system agreements from review under the water availability bill. Another would weaken language in the current bill directing the county water department to weigh in with the Water Commission and Department of Health about private wells that are being proposed and their potential impacts to public water resources.

The existing water availability bill’s intent is to make sure we have accountability in our water supplies, rather than a shell game of hoped-for solutions that lead to overpumped aquifers.

The ordinance was passed in December 2007. Since 2008, county wells in Pookela, Hamoa, Waikapu and Kupaa have been completed. All these wells were begun earlier, since the process can take more than five years. This has nothing to do with the water availability bill.

The facts: A brand-new county well has been permitted in Mahinahina, a county well to replace a privately owned shaft in Wailuku is in permitting phase, and three wells privately drilled in 2004 were added to the county’s Central Maui system since the water availability bill was passed.

Lucienne de Naie
Huelo