StarBulletin.com

Maui reservoirs on the decline in Upcountry


By

POSTED: Tuesday, October 21, 2008

WAILUKU » Upcountry Maui reservoir levels are continuing to fall due to lack of rain.

Deputy Water Director Eric Yamashige says water consumption has increased for three straight weeks while storage levels keep declining.

He urged consumers to be careful with their water use.

Reservoir levels in the Upcountry system have dropped steadily from more than 94 million gallons Oct. 6 to less than 73 million gallons Friday. That means reservoirs have only a 10-day water supply in reserve.

Yamashige says the island needs rain, especially at higher elevations.

Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. says the lack of rain has blocked replanting of about 2,500 acres of sugar fields.