WAILUKU >> Maui County and state officials will investigate whether the drinking water caused skin problems for dozens of Upcountry residents. Maui water tests to seek
source of skin problemsCounty officials will talk with state
officials about the study designBy Gary T. Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.comCounty water spokeswoman Jackie Takakura said the department has received 36 complaints about the water causing mainly skin problems to those who shower or bathe in it.
Some residents say they are treating the county water through reverse osmosis before bathing.
Takakura said the complaints have been mainly from Kula residents, some alleging that the cause of their itchy skin was a chemical corrosion inhibitor used to reduce lead in the water.
She said part of the study will include a map showing where each complainant lives in relation to county water lines.
Takakura said county water officials will be talking with state health officials about the design of the study, including whether testing should be done inside the home or at a nearby fire hydrant.
"Ideally, it would be at the customer's house," she said.
She said the complaints could stem from a number of causes, including personal allergies, a mixture of chemicals and seasonal cold weather.
"At this point it's a mystery," she said.
Takakura said county and state officials have checked with other water systems using the lead-reduction chemical zinc orthophosphate and had no complaints.
Since June 2001 the county has been adding zinc orthophosphate to reduce the lead content in drinking water in Kula, Makawao and Pukalani. State and county officials said the chemical has been effective in reducing the lead content. Severe lead poisoning can lead to birth defects and miscarriages.
State and county officials said in testing in 2000, more than 10 percent of the homes recorded a lead level at 37 parts per billion, exceeding U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards requiring less than 15 ppb.
He said testing in April found the corrosion inhibitor had lowered lead content to 10.6 ppb.
Some Kula residents say the county should have the individual homeowners correct their plumbing to eliminate the lead problem.
William Wong, chief of the state Health Department's Safe Drinking Water Branch, said requiring homeowners to take such remedial action would be too expensive.
"Are you going to have them break down their walls?" he said. "Who's going to do the work?"
Environmental Protection Agency
County of Maui
