Maui County committee defers action on USGS water-monitoring agreement after briefing on West Maui wells and new rain gauge

The Maui County Water and Infrastructure Committee on Aug. 18, 2025 discussed Bill 108 (2025), a proposed intergovernmental agreement authorizing the mayor to execute a joint funding agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Islands Water Science Center to continue the Cooperative Water Resource Monitoring Program from Oct. 1, 2025, to Sept. 30, 2026. After questions from members, the chair announced the item would be deferred for later consideration.

The bill was described in committee materials and by Department of Water Supply Planning Program Administrator Eva Blumenstein as funding a continuation of USGS monitoring work, adding a precipitation (rain) gauge on Honomanu Stream in East Maui and funding phase 1 of a USGS study to site a deep monitoring well in the Laniapoku aquifer in West Maui. Blumenstein said the department is asking the council to authorize the mayor to execute the agreement so the county can meet the Oct. 1 start date if the contract is approved.

"We are asking to add the Honomanu stream rain gauge this year," Blumenstein said. "USGS is contributing 100% of the equipment and installation in the current federal fiscal year. The Department of Water Supply would take on operational maintenance for fiscal year 2026, the Water Commission would take on operational maintenance for fiscal year 2027, and after that we would split it 50/50."

Blumenstein described the monitoring‑well component as a phase‑1 effort consisting of stakeholder outreach and a hydrological assessment to determine appropriate site(s) for one or more monitoring wells in the Laniapoku aquifer. She said the monitoring well is intended to remain a monitoring well (not a production well) and that the phase‑1 study is a prerequisite to siting and later phases.

Committee members pressed staff on how monitoring and exploratory wells would be used. Blumenstein said the county also proposes two exploratory wells in Laniapoku (referred to in materials as L1 and L3) that could become production wells if they are suitable. She said one exploratory well could have a production capacity on the order of 0.7 million gallons per day, but that much of that yield could be needed to offset instream flow and existing diversions (specifically to maintain Kanaha Streamflow), meaning net new supply for other uses may be limited. She said the second exploratory well, if productive, could provide additional yield for Lahaina reconstruction and new housing demand.

On permitting, Blumenstein said the environmental assessment (EA) for the exploratory wells had been published and that the EA was the last piece needed for a new water‑use permit application. She said the State Water Commission (described in committee discussion as the Water Commission) was still processing existing permits and had not yet set a timeframe for issuing new permits.

Committee members asked whether monitoring data would be publicly accessible. Blumenstein said, "All the regular streamgage, rainfall and monitoring‑well stations under the USGS contract are live posted on the USGS website," adding that the public can access historical and recent data.

No members of the public testified at the meeting. After two rounds of three‑minute questions, the chair announced, without a recorded roll‑call vote, that the item would be deferred for a later meeting. Committee staff noted that Bill 108 passed first reading on Aug. 12, 2025 and remains before the council for second and final reading.

Members were told the proposed joint funding agreement as presented would run from Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026. Committee materials included dollar figures for the agreement as presented to the committee; the department summarized the funding split in its briefing materials and testimony but the committee did not take a final vote on those figures during the Aug. 18 meeting.

The committee meeting lasted about 33 minutes on the agenda item and featured multiple council members questioning Department of Water Supply staff, reflecting continued council scrutiny over water supply projects tied to Lahaina reconstruction and West Maui's recently designated groundwater management area.

Looking ahead, the county will return the item to the committee or full council for further consideration; Blumenstein said timely execution of the contract is important to meet the Oct. 1 start date if the council approves the agreement.