Maui officials aiming
to reduce lead in water

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Gary T. Kubota
Maui correspondent

WAILUKU >> Maui water officials are taking steps to reduce lead in drinking water of a number of households in the Upcountry region.

Water Department spokeswoman Jackie Takakura said the lead is not in the county water system but in some homes, especially older houses containing pipes that used higher contents of lead as solder before new federal standards in 1986.

Upcountry Maui relies mainly upon treated rainwater for farm and household use -- surface water that tends to be acidic.

As part of the lead reduction program, water officials are adding zinc orthophosphate at three water treatment facilities serving Pukalani, Haliimaile, Makawao, parts of Haiku, Kula, Ulupalakua and Kanaio.

She said the chemical is to reduce the acidity of the water and make it less corrosive in leaching lead from plumbing and fixtures.

Takakura said the Water Department plans to conduct tests to see if the lead abatement effort is working.

The action, mandated by the state, follows results of random testing in June and August of last year showing 10 percent or more of the households in Makawao and Lower Kula had lead above the action level of 15 parts per billion in their drinking water.

Takakura said notices have been sent in the past notifying Upcountry residents about the lead found in household drinking water and offering free testing.