HONOLULU (Hawaiinewsnow) -Spar the Hawaiian’s most wealthy owner uses a personal -owned water system built in the plantation era to pay much less water than others.
The need for a disparity and chronic water shortage, and the need for a battle over access has led to a major decision to take over the county of the county of the county of the county.
HNN’s survey has its roots in the age of plantation and the overturn of the Hawaiian kingdom, and is now investigating the sources of western Maui, which leads to both waste and drought.
Luxury cost: Price comparison
Just south of Lahaina, the vast farmland in Launypoco is surrounded by lush green landscaping and navy blue URE pools, and stands out from the dull brown drying of the old sugar land.
Housing owners paid a lot to marine view facilities. What they don’t pay much is water. The cost of water about 65 % lower than the neighbor of Lahaina.
Lehaina residents, Taro farmers, and water activists Kekai Cairehi, who have many local residents, relying on the county in the county and relying on more water than investors and resorts for many years. I say it was.
“So they have enough water they want and have the ability to charge what they want. We are in the county system, so we paid. No matter what the county says. We have to pay, “said Kekai.
Many of the old plantation systems that supply customers are considered a water supply operator, and the fare is determined by the Public Interest Business Committee based on the costs to supply water, and to keep them sustainable. Based on sufficient profits.
Most people and companies in West Maui are in the county system. The rate per 1000 gallon changes from about $ 2 to $ 8. Families who use 17,000 gallons a month pay about $ 65.
Kaanapali pays more than $ 3 per 1000 gallon on invoices that are 10 dollars lower than the county water customers.
The actual bargains are located south of La Hi -Poco and Lahaina, Oroar, with a drink water of less than 1.50 gallons per 1,000 gallons, and two -thirds, two -thirds, two -thirds, two -thirds, two -thirds, two -thirds, two -thirds.
Lance Collins represents water distribution and PUC lawsuits, representing local peasons, and low prices are one of the symptoms of historical unreasonable systems.
“It doesn’t feel so great, but it’s another repetition of the way the general public has always gained a short stick,” he said.
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Origin of Maui’s water system
The reason why water is delivered very cheap is the remnant of the damaged past.
It is flowing through the irrigation system built more than 100 years ago. This flows in the same era as the Hawaiian kingdom was defeated by the owner of the US business and plantation, and used a contract labor to build a dike, embankment, a groove, chimney, aqueous bridge, and a reservoir, and detour the mountains. I let you do it. Occasionally, they irrigate the sugar fields away from many miles until they dry.
According to Collins, the antique water system is currently built long ago by contract workers, so the operation is very cheap.
“They had the effort they exploited,” he said.
After the planning was closed, Lahaina’s Pioneer Factory in 1999 was the last one. Some water systems were acquired by investors, and were retained by descendants of a sugar company that built them.
“The company is still there. They just transformed into a resort, development, and a land company, but the control of the water never left,” Keahi said.
Emotional battle over water
KEKAI KEAHI, a construction manager, spends a lot of time helping others to rebuild in Lahaina.
The water that irrigated these fields is filled with swimming pools, irrigation of landscaping and golf course, and is almost never cultivated in Lahaina’s former sugar fields and Mauka.
Keahi said that the county system and local Ogawa residents need more water for traditional agriculture and housing.
“Rather than sending this resource to thirsty crops, they are sacrificing the community to the thirsty resort and high -end development,” he said.
The unfairness of the price is Raunupoko’s emotional issue, where Charlie Parakiko and his family have recovered traditional river -based Taro Roy. This farm is downstream from the reservoir owned by the Raunio Poco Irrigation Company, and is managed by Peter Martin, a developer of luxury parcels.
For many years, Parakcos had to fight in court and the State Water Committee for the right water for their crops.
“We know that they have accumulated water for many years. You know for future development and what they are doing,” he said.
Parakikos says that cheap water is wasted to a wealthy neighbor, fighting in state institutions and courts and getting enough water to keep crop healthy.
“I know they were riding the road on the water as before, and we go home, our bleeding is low, and imagine you are home. Try it, and you see all these roads are sprinkling water, and you know what you are running, you know what you’re saying. Did he say? “Hey, we are fighting for the water. I need water. Then you look at the road, it’s all green, and there’s something that flows.”
Response to West Maui Land Company
During the current visit to Hawaii News, the Raunupoco irrigation company’s reservoirs on their property were full, and Parakiko said that sufficient water was released on the stream to maintain his taro.
Gentoremble, a spokesman of the West Maui Land Company, is another Martin controlled company that manages the Launypoco and the Orowal system, and by e -mail to Hawaii News, the system has “lost and maintained for several years. It was difficult to do it for many years, and the owners and companies have been lending a lot of money to maintain them. “
He said that the company is seeking an increase in rates from PUC, but farmers are challenging them as part of the overall water dispute, delaying the process.
County change plan
The situation is not isolated to West Mawai. More than 70 % of Maui’s water is managed by a private system, making it impossible to set water setting policy, shortage and development.
However, according to Director of the Water Director of Maui County, Director John Staffle Bean, Maui County has decided to take over the legacy system.
“We actually get more water under the control of the county,” he said. “I think that’s a good public policy decision.”
Stiftlebean stated that the county could purchase a system and charge a much higher price than currently paying resorts and large -scale users.
“So much of the money needs to be returned to the system upgrade to meet the current county standards,” said Staffel Bean.
“After that, other major problems are that they implement an important policy, such as water conservation policy, and can encourage people to be more efficient by using water,” he said.
Paying a water county fee will cost millions of dollars for the resort, but the tremor says that the land of West Mawi is willing to cooperate with the county, and he is higher. He said it was not a serious difficulty for customers and development plans.
Unified county systems may be associated with negotiations that the county will buy a system or to blame public use.
Stufftlebean said that the county used water recycled for the resort and golf course, and had a policy for redirecting water during the shortage.
“For example, if some of the county systems are in trouble and have additional water elsewhere, they can move water more easily,” he said.
It will also potentially end long -term feuds between developers and Taro farmers.
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