Water consumption
declined but restrictions
will continue
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply won't ease islandwide voluntary water restrictions, even though Oahu consumers have decreased their water consumption by 12 percent from late July, according to statistics released yesterday.
Board of Water Supply officials had set a goal of a 10 percent water-use decrease in early August, when they asked consumers to voluntarily restrict their irrigation and landscape watering to three days a week before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
But agency Manager and Chief Engineer Clifford Jamile yesterday attributed the decreases to recent rains and said the usage levels could easily rise again if dry weather returns.
"We need to give it a little bit more time and then see where it goes," he said. "I remain hopeful but at the same time the news that we have is not enough."
If water consumption stays low, Jamile said, the board could consider taking away the voluntary restrictions in four weeks.
Compared to figures recorded in late July, average water consumption islandwide was down by almost 20 million gallons a day during the week of Oct. 2-8.
At 156 million gallons per day, the consumption figure was the lowest since June and down by 6 million gallons a day from the week ending Oct. 1.
Despite the consumption decreases, water levels at key island aquifers during the period were still lower by as much as 2 feet compared with May 2002.
Meanwhile, water consumption in the Windward and Pearl Harbor districts rose from the week before.
The largest water consumption decrease was in the Honolulu water district, where usage dropped by more than 3 million gallons a day.
