The latest test results for Upcountry Water Testing have been posted on the Maui County Water Department website.  https://www.mauicounty.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=12755
The Kula Community Association will continue to follow progress on water testing and other issues impacting our residents. 

​Please follow our FB page!  https://www.facebook.com/kulacommunityassociation/

​(This update is from Councilwoman Yuki Lei Sugimura summarizing the information provided at the upcountry meeting held on 8/24.)
 
Thank you to Akakū for airing the meeting last night. For those who missed it, here is a link to the meeting video.
 
Mahalo to Water Director John Stufflebean, as well as Melvin Tokuda and Dennis Lopez from the State Department of Health's Safe Drinking Water Branch for answering questions related to water. We are also very grateful for the participation of Prof. Andy Whelton of Purdue University.
 
RECAP OF INFORMATION SHARED LAST NIGHT

• What was done in response to the fire:
• The system was isolated and secured
• The system was re-pressurized for fire control
• Determined the water advisory and affected areas as is standard practice following a wildfire
• Water samples were collected for testing
• It takes about one week from collection of samples to receiving results
• What is ongoing:
• Samples are still being collected for testing, with more testing to be done in the coming weeks
• None of the samples tested so far exceed health standards
• What is next:
• Sampling/testing will continue over the coming weeks to ensure that the water is safe
• It will likely be a couple of weeks before areas are removed from the advisory
• A definitive timeline was not given because it depends on test results
• If your address is located in the advisory area, follow all guidelines
• If your address is not located in the advisory area, your water is fine
• Increased communication from the Department of Water Supply

 
QUESTIONS

• My office is working on consolidating the questions that were not addressed in last night's meeting so we can get the appropriate and accurate responses.

 
GUIDANCE

• Check the advisory map to see if you are located in the affected area. Addresses are searchable on the top left.
• Follow the guidance put forward by the water department. This information, along with other resources, can be found on mauinuistrong.info.
• Lab results for Upper Kula water systems can be viewed here.

 

The Department of Water Supply has provided an updated interactive map that highlights the areas in Upcountry and Lahaina affected by the unsafe water advisory.

Use this LINK for the interactive map.

Aloha Upcountry Residents - Councilmember Yukilei Sugimura will host an upcountry community meeting about our water situation this Thursday, 8/24 at the Kula Community Center. The following information comes from correspondence with the office of Councilmember Sugimura. 
 
The meeting will focus on the current water situation in Kula. More information will be provided soon.

Attending this meeting will be John Stufflebean - County Director of Water Supply - as well as representatives from the State Department of Health and Environmental Protection Agency. 

Please share this information with any friends or family that you feel may benefit from the information provided.  My (Councilmember Sugimura) office and I continue to request more information be provided to our Upcountry residents by relevant departments and agencies.

A new Community Information Hub, by the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center, on the status of Maui water safety is now up and running.  You will find updates and relevant links to answer your questions on water testing and safety.

​Click this LINK for more details.

The Unsafe Water Advisory for Upper Kula is still in effect. The advisory was issued as a precautionary measure due to the unknown impacts of the wildfires in the area. The advisory will be updated as test results are analyzed.
​
Use this LINK for the full Advisory.

Update from Maui County website:

The Unsafe Water Advisory for Upper Kula is still in effect. The advisory was issued as a precautionary measure due to the unknown impacts of the wildfires in the area. The advisory will be updated as test results are analyzed.

The preliminary findings are encouraging, of the tested samples all reported non-detectable, with one (1) exception, trace amounts of xylene were detected, however, well below the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) determined by the EPA.

Use this LINK for the full report.

​Failure to follow this advisory could result in illness.
COUNTY PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023   10:17pm

Unsafe water advisory for Upper Kula and Lahaina areas includes new maps

For residents in Lahaina and Upper Kula areas, maps of affected areas in Upcountry and in Lahaina were recently released on the county Department of Water Supply website.

The advisory remains in effect for certain areas until further notice and states that residents should not drink and/or boil water.
Bottled water should be used for all drinking, brushing teeth, ice making and food preparation until further notice. Residents are unable to treat the water in any way to make it safe.

Water buffalo tankers (one per site) with drinkable water are stationed at the following Upcountry locations: Crater Road, Copp Road, Kula Fire Station, Rice Park, Kula Community Center and Keokea. The West Maui locations include: Puamana Street, Kahoma Village, Lahaina Gateway Shopping Center and Honokohau. One tanker is at each site, with the exception of Lahaina Gateway, which has two.

In Lahaina, the advisory applies to all areas except Kaniau Road and all areas north of Kaniau Road, including Villages of Leialiʻ i.
In Kula, the unsafe water advisory is in place for the following areas:

Lower Kimo Road, Ainakula Road, Kukia Place, Malanani Drive, Kaalele Place, Uau Place, Malapua Road, Huina Place, Kulamanu Circle, Paliuli Place, Kulalani Drive, Kulalani Circle, Kualono Place, Kekaulike Avenue, Anuenue Place, Haleakala Highway, Upper Kimo Drive, Alanuilili Place, Meakoho Place, Upu Place, Keai Dha, Nana Pono Place, Kaui Place, Kuilalani Drive, Kulalani Circle Ainakula Road, Kukia Place, Nana Pono Place, Copp Road, Holomakani Drive, Kamila Street, Kamehameiki Road, Pulehuiki Road, Kolohala Drive, Ihe Place, Kahoea Place, Kamila Place, Mauna Place, Wahelani Road, Wahelani Street, Loio Place, Hoihoi Place, Waiakoa Road, Kuulani Place, Waiakoa Place, Kekaulike Avenue, Cooke Road, Johnson Road, Alae Road, Foster Place, Kepa Road, Puakea Place, Crater Road, Hapapa Road, Napoko Place, Puanani Place, Aolewa Place, Ponimoi Place, Kula Hwy at Keokea, Thompson Road, Ulupalakua, Kanaio, Polipoli Road, Kulanani Place, Koheo Road, Monden Drive, Pilikino Place, Area of Kula Hwy between Lepelepe Place and Malamahale Place, Lepelepe Place, Malia Uli Place, Malamahale Place, Naalae Road, Section of Lower Kula Road between Naalae and Waipoli roads, Waipoli Road, Kawehi Place, Oluolu Place and Kaolu Place.

Customers are advised to:

• Limit the use of hot water
• Limit shower and bathing time and use lukewarm water and ventilated area
• Use a dishwasher and the air-dry setting to wash dishes
• Wash clothing in cold water and avoid using clothes dryer
• Not use hot tubs or swimming pools
• Not use ice from icemakers
• Use proper ventilation when using water indoors

For maps of the affected areas, visit mauicounty.gov/water. For more information, call the department at (808) 270-7344.

In 2018 this will be a very costly and controversial issue faced by Upcountry homeowners. Costs will average about $20,000 per household, plus the digging up of existing gardens and landscaping.   NOTE: You may wish to forward to other upcountry Maui residents.
===================================

MauiNow.com   December 19, 2017
http://mauinow.com/2017/12/19/upcountry-maui-is-a-priority-area-for-cesspool-upgrades/
https://health.hawaii.gov/news/files/2017/12/17-106-Cesspool-Priority-Report.pdf
 
Upcountry Maui is one of 14 priority areas where cesspool upgrades are critically needed to protect public health and the environment, the Hawai‘i State Department of Health cited in a report filed today with the Legislature.
 
The report indicates about 43,000 cesspools – half of Hawai‘i’s total 88,000 cesspools – are located in the 14 priority areas in all counties and need urgent action.
 
“The report findings are troubling and show wastewater from cesspools is beginning to impact drinking water in some parts of upcountry Maui,” said Health Director Dr. Virginia Pressler. “The water in these areas is still safe to drink, with no evidence of bacterial contamination; however, there are early warning signs that tell us we must act now to protect the future of our drinking water and the environment.”
 
According to the DOH, cesspools provide no treatment and inject about 53 million gallons of raw sewage into Hawai‘i’s groundwater every day, potentially spreading disease and harming the quality of drinking water supplies and recreational waters. Hawai‘i gets over 90% of its drinking water from groundwater.
 
“In areas, such as Kahulu‘u on O‘ahu and Kapoho and Puako on Hawai‘i Island, cesspools harm recreational waters and precious coral reefs,” said Keith Kawaoka, DOH deputy director of the Environmental Health Administration. “All cesspools pose a serious threat to our natural environment, and the 14 priority areas are our greatest concern as we are seeing the start of potential impacts to Hawai‘i’s shoreline and drinking water resources.”
 
The DOH report was ordered by the Legislature earlier this year in Act 125 of 2017. The 14 priority areas with maps of cesspool locations are: Upcountry Maui; Kahalu‘u, Diamond Head, Waimanalo, Waialua and Ewa on O‘ahu; Kapoho, Kea‘au, Puako, Hilo Bay and Kailua/Kona coastal areas on Hawai‘i Island; and Kapa‘a/Wailua, Poʻipū/Koloa, and Hanalei Bay on Kauaʻi.
 
In 2016, Governor Ige signed Wastewater System rules that banned all new cesspools statewide. Prior to the ban, there were approximately 800 new cesspools per year.
 
The rules also provided tax credits under Act 120. The Act provides a temporary income tax credit for the cost of upgrading or converting a qualified cesspool to a septic tank system or an aerobic treatment system, or connecting to a sewer system. A taxpayer may apply for a tax credit of up to $10,000 for cesspools upgraded to a sewer or septic system during the next five years. The program is limited to a total of $5 million or about 500 cesspool upgrades per year. Under the law, owners of cesspools located within 500 feet of the ocean, streams or marsh areas, or near drinking water sources can qualify for the tax credit. To date, about 50 taxpayers have used the program.
 
“The state began taking action last year, and today’s report clearly highlights the need for greater measures to tackle this impending threat to our drinking and recreational waters,” said Kawaoka. “With 88,000 systems currently affecting our environment, it will take a concerted effort by our entire community to convert existing systems to safer alternatives.”
 
The DOH says the cost to upgrade all of the state’s roughly 88,000 cesspools is estimated at $1.75 billion.
 
State law currently requires the elimination of cesspools in Hawai‘i by year 2050. The DOH presented its report on cesspools and prioritization for replacement to legislators and will begin community meetings in impacted areas of the state in January 2018, beginning with Makawao on Tuesday Jan 9, 2018.

Attached is the cesspool report that will be the basis for the Tuesday, January 9, 2018  Makawao meeting.

https://health.hawaii.gov/opppd/files/2017/12/Act-125-HB1244-HD1-SD3-CD1-29th-Legislature-Cesspool-Report.pdf

For more information on cesspools in Hawai‘i and the Tax Credit Program for Qualifying Cesspools click here  and  http://health.hawaii.gov/wastewater/ .

The St. John's Kula Festival will be on Sept. 23rd this year from 9am to 4pm. Lots of ono food, produce, kids games, crafters, auction and live entertainment all day long. Proceeds shared with 2 local non profits. Visit the website http://stjohnsmaui.org/event/st-johns-kula-festival-3/ or call 878-1485.

The American Red Cross is recruiting disaster volunteers in Maui County in preparation for hurricane season, which starts on June 1st. “We need our communities prepared for disasters before they occur. One critical piece is to have trained volunteers on standby and ready to respond,” said Michele Liberty, Red Cross Maui County Director. “We encourage new volunteers to join the Red Cross ohana and support our mission of helping those in need.”

The Maui Red Cross is seeking volunteers to join our disaster response teams on Maui, Lanai and Molokai.

From hurricanes to house fires, the Hawaii Red Cross responds to disasters statewide every 4 days. Whether it’s one displaced family or thousands of disaster victims, Hawaii Red Cross volunteers are there to help. This is what the Red Cross is about- neighbor helping neighbor- down the street, across the nation, and around the world. All disaster training is provided free of charge.

If interested in becoming a Red Cross volunteer, the first step is to register online at
 
http://www.redcross.org/local/hawaii

To register, 1) click on ‘Volunteer’; and then 2) click on ‘Becoming a Volunteer’.

Once applications are completed through the Volunteer Connection system, the Red Cross will contact interested individuals about signing up for basic disaster classes.

Call the Maui Office at 808-244- 0051 with any questions, or for more information on the training.

Invitation to Attend 2nd Community Workshop on Source Water Protection for Maui County's Ag Sector - Tuesday 05/23

The County of Maui Department of Water Supply (DWS) is excited to announce that, in partnership with the Hawaii Rural Water Association (HRWA), we will be hosting the second of a three part workshop series focused on source water protection for the agricultural sector in Maui County. The event is open to the public and will engage participants in discussions regarding Best Management Practices (BMPs) intended to address Potentially Contaminating Activities (PCAs) that could pose risks to source water quality, including municipal and private wellheads. The workshop will be educational and interactive, and will offer opportunities for event participants to contribute to developing community based solutions intended to address source water protection for the Maui County agricultural sector. The concepts and recommendations emerging from these community discussions will be used as a basis to explore federal, state and county financial assistance opportunities for future source wa ter protection efforts.

WHEN: 5:00pm – 7:00pm on Tuesday, May 23, 2017.

WHERE:

University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC) Kahului Campus (In Person)
310 W. Ka’ahumanu Avenue
Ka’a’ike Building Room 105CD
Kahului, HI 96732

UHMC Molokai Education Center (Remote/Video Connection)
Molokai Room 103
375 Kamehameha V Highway
Kaunakakai, HI 96748

UHMC Lanai Education Center (Remote/Video Connection)
Lanai Conference Room
329 7th Street
Lana’i City, HI 96763

UHMC Lahaina Education Center (Remote/Video Connection)
Lahaina Conference Room
60 Kenui Street
Lahaina, HI 96761

UHMC Hana Education Center (Remote/Video Connection)
Hana Conference Room
5101 Uakea Road
Hana, HI 96713

Please direct any questions about this workshop to Alex de Roode or Robert DeRobles with the Department of Water Supply Water Resources & Planning Division by calling (808) 463-3110. We look forward to seeing you at the workshop!

PLEASE NOTE CHANGE IN LOCATION AND TIME

Rat Lungworm informational session for growers, gardeners and landscapers will be held in Kula April 20, 2017 at Kula Community Center 6:00pm-7pm and in Kahului April 25, 2017 at UH Maui College Community Service Building 5:30pm-7pm.

MauiNow.com   March 31, 2017

The Maui Department of Water Supply has declared a Stage 1 water shortage in the Upcountry district of Maui, effective Sunday, April 9, 2017, due to reduced surface water flow and a lack of rain. At Stage 1, the water rates remain the same.

Due to the lower than normal water levels, customers may notice a change in water taste and/or smell; however, the State Department of Health has determined that the water from Upcountry Maui is safe to drink. On-going testing continues to show an absence of harmful bacteria and other pathogens in the water; the Department of Water Supply will continue to monitor and test the water, and provide periodic updates.

By law, the Director of Water Supply, with the approval of the Mayor, is authorized to declare a water shortage whenever the water supply becomes inadequate in any area in the County due to a period of drought, an infrastructure or mechanical malfunction, natural disaster, or other event causing a water shortage.

A Stage 1 water shortage exists if the Director determines that anticipated water demand in an area is projected to exceed available water supply by 1-15%.

Due to the declaration of a Stage 1 water shortage, all Upcountry water consumers are asked to conserve water and to avoid any unnecessary water use until further notice. Water conservation measures taken now could prevent the progression to a Stage 2 water shortage.

For full details please see:  MauiNow.com   March 31, 2017

Here is a notice about the Maui Regional Board (HHSC) public meeting next week. This is an opportunity to ask questions about the transition to Kaiser and get information about our plans for the future.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

5:00PM

Pukalani Pool Annex

Karey Oura Kapoi
Maui Memorial Medical Center
221 Mahalani Street
Wailuku, HI  96793

T:  (808) 442-5663
F:  (808) 442-5112
C:  (808) 633-1454
kkapoi@hhsc.org

to discuss the Water Use + Development Plan

·  UpcountryMaui: November 30 (Wednesday): 6-9 pm, Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center, 91 Pukalani St, Pukalani

Agenda + Meeting materials

Maui County Preliminary Report -  November 15, 2016 (214 pages pdf)
- See more at: http://www.kulamaui.com/#sthash.DkWuiW9X.dpuf

NEXT WEEK - three upcoming meetings

to discuss the Water Use + Development Plan

· West  Maui/Lahaina:  November 28 (Monday): 6-9 pm, West Maui Senior Center, Room 115, 788 Pauoa St, Lahaina. Materials for Review

·  Central+South Maui:  November 29 (Tuesday): 6-9 pm, Velma-McWayne Santos Community Center, 395 Waena St, Wailuku

·  UpcountryMaui: November 30 (Wednesday): 6-9 pm, Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center, 91 Pukalani St, Pukalani

Maui County Preliminary Report -  November 15, 2016 (214 pages pdf)

Benefit for Upcountry Foodbank - November 19th

2016 Harvest Festival - November 19th - 9am to 4 pm

Chris Bachaus, Principal shared this update at the KCA board meeting on 10/4/16 - Link to the Update