Protect Our Water Wells

Testimony offered by Sierra Club, Maui Group October 17, 20013
PO box 791180
Paia, HI 96779

To: Board of Water Supply
200 South High Street, Fifth Floor,
Wailuku, Hawaii 96793-2155

RE: Agenda Item VIII. A. Discussion and possible action regarding the Regulatory – Legislative Investigative Committee’s report on the Draft Wellhead Protection Ordinance and its legislative impact on private and public properties.

Aloha BWS members and mahalo for your service,

Sierra Club Maui has had volunteers attend a number of meetings over the years regarding the County’s Draft Wellhead Protection Ordinance. We have offered comments at public workshops and meetings.

We have been supportive of the DWS moving forward to adopt a policy for wellhead protection for several reasons.

  1. Maui has had ground water contamination in a number of public and private wells over the years. The problem exists and we should make an effort to minimize future risks.
  2. While the proposed ordinance only protects public water sources, it certainly makes economic sense to do so. Our water department budget is always strained. Why risk the investments we already have in our public wells simply because no policy is in place.
  3. We have heard others contend at wellhead meetings that existing state and federal laws already handle the problem. If that were true, we wouldn’t have unhealthy contaminants in any of our wells. This is certainly not the case.
  4. There is a reason that the EPA sets guidelines and standards for states and local communities to enact laws to protect the source of their drinking water. Local laws work in concert to implement federal policies on potential contaminants.
  5. Personally, I served on the General Plan Advisory Committee which reviewed the Maui Island Plan language. The MIP policy on groundwater source protection is clear: “Complete and implement DWS wellhead-protection program to protect the water quality of public and private wells.”
  6. We have heard some contend that the proposed draft Wellhead Protection ordinance is a threat to property owners. Not if they are sincere in wanting to avoid activities that could impact the water supply that our communities depend upon. The activities that are prohibited or regulated follow national models. No one is unfairly being singled out.
  7. In fact, this ordinance is really accommodating to landowners. All existing uses are permitted. Small subdivisions are exempt. The proposed protected zones where certain activities are regulated are narrowly delineated. In many longtime state and local wellhead ordinances, the protected areas are very broad and cover an entire potential watershed.
  8. Sierra Club Maui supports the efforts of the DWS to move forward with an ordinance that begins to address the longterm impacts many human activities can have on our water supply.

We hope that you will support it as well.

Mahalo for your consideration of this important public policy.

Lucienne de Naie

Sierra Club Maui

Conservation Chair