If we had used the streamwater available through the County’s 2000 Memorandum of Understanding with A&B, Inc. a decade ago, the Upcountry meter list would be a lot shorter. We can still do this. The longer we don’t use our share of the water, the more likely we are to become embroiled in legal battles when we do finally use our share of the stream water. This is a source of water that requires minimal filtration and has not been designated as chemically polluted by pesticides.
We have a choice of what our children will drink: stream water with some organic matter that can be cleaned and processed in a water treatment plant; or ground water contaminated with DBCP, TCP and EDP, as well as possible nitrates that we only hope will be adequately decontaminated by charcoal filters.
We have not been told the costs of running the Hamakuapoko wells. The lawsuit pays for most of the filtering costs. Buth how much to run tests for a complete battery of contaminants? Will the wells require more staff time for water quality monitoring? If so, is that included in the DWS budget?
If the wells reveal new contaminants what would be the costs of additional treatment options? High nitrate levels for example, will not respond to the GAC filter used for the DBCP, and in fact nitrates will clog the filter and cause it to loose effectiveness in screening out DBCP. The problem then is that the filter can experience a sudden complete failure and unless monitored closely will be pouring contaminated water into our potable water system.
The Hamakuapoko wells are described as “backup wells”, but if the wells are not used regularly, the filters will get a bacteria buildup that creates its own water quality issues. How will the system design avoid this system challenge?
It will take 2 years and 2 million dollars to get them on line (new storage tank needed on site, etc). For first 6 months water will be pumped, run through fIlters and then dumped in A&B ditch so a long term test of water quality can be conducted.
The 1999 Settlement with pesticide manufacturers, which pays the majority of filtering costs until 2039, only covered DBCP. Wells also have TCP and EDP above limits. Will the chemical companies try to get out of paying the whole cost since their agreement was for only one of the contaminent chemicals?
Wells will need an EA before they go on line. Mike Victorino announced that he was going to propose amending the ordinance at first reading to have wells be used for emergency pumping during droughts only. Is this to try to avoid an EA?
If new water meters are issued and the proposed subdivisions are built, how long before Upcountry is on permanent “emergency” conditions and these wells are used continuously?
Where is the political will to use our share of the streamwater?
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Mele Stokesberry says
September 9, 2011 at 9:56 amPerhaps if the public knew that DBCP is a cause of testicular atrophy it would raise their level of concern.
Thank you for your good technical explanation here of why it would be very difficult to provide safe water from these wells and why it would most likely take more political will than Maui government usually demonstrates to support the needed level of filtration on an ongoing basis.
Maui Tomorrow says
September 9, 2011 at 10:02 amA mystery is why we haven’t used the millions of gallons of water the County has rights to from the Memorandum of Understanding by the County of Maui and HC&S/EMI.
The County of Maui has the rights of withdrawal from the Wailoa Ditch of 3-4 million gallons per day(gpd) more than we are presently taking. Under certain circumstances, the County has the rights to withdraw up to 16 gpd, though the plant at Kamaole Weir, even with continual upgrades through the years, still cannot process near that amount.
This water is cheaper and not chemically contaminated like the Hamakuapoko wells.
Mele Stokesberry says
September 9, 2011 at 9:37 amThank you for this detailed explanation of the technical side and the economic implications of opening the H-poko wells. You might let the public know also that DBCP, among other things, is a cause of testicular atrophy. Somehow it seems if the public knew this fact, it could raise a bit more concern!
Maui Tomorrow says
September 9, 2011 at 9:44 amTo me this is the crux of the matter. “No detectable DBCP’s” is not the same as ZERO DBCP.
And these fetal abnormalities that cause baby boys to lack fully developed reproductive organs occur at TINY, TINY concentrations of DBCP.