Bill 189 restricts water use in times of need.

[Devany]

I totally agree with you Kathy. Land and Power is a great book. I am quoting you here because of what you said being important and this thread is a long one.

I am amazed sometimes when people from Puna complain about not getting mail delivery, water, cell service, homeowner's insurance, mortgages, high speed internet and cable. The land is cheap down there for a reason. Anyone doing due diligence before purchase could easily see why the land is cheaper there and make an educated decision based on the fact that many services are lacking because the developers did not put infrastructure in place. Anyone who "gambled" on the fact that it would rain enough is a fool. Drilling a well is a far better solution unless you live close to people with cesspools.

While all property owners pay taxes to the county, those who pay more for their homes/land pay higher taxes too. Kathy I am surprised that your lot had such high taxes though, that is much more than we pay for our home on 1 acre, but we do get a senior exemption now that my husband is 62.

Many, if not most farmers here have an Ag meter, they have to pay a lot for the meter, but their water rates are much lower than that of an individual home owner. We also have friends up in Hamakua who live along the flumes and get free water for ag.

Actually those of you who are able to go to the spigots and get free water are lucky. In many places water is simply not available or they charge an extra fee for it during drought conditions. Free water is at least available to you. It is my guess that the 55 gal limit is per person, which is more than adequate even for a family for cooking and drinking. I would not like being limited to the amount of water I use and I would like it even less if I had to go fill containers every day. That has happened in third world countries forever. At least the women are not having to carry it on their heads in huge clay pots here.

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Originally posted by KathyH

I didn't say that I'm for rationing. I just don't like people complaining that Hilo has more this and that when everyone makes a basic economic choice whether or not to be in Hilo. It might be the difference between living somewhere paid off and having $2000 a month house payments. It was a choice, and you chose no County water, to rely on catchment.

Like Obie said, farmers on County water have to pay for it. Then all farmers should have to pay for it.

There were deals struck with the developers when the Puna subdivisions were approved. Deals that allowed for subdivisions that might never get County water, at least not without carrying the expenses, deals that made the subdivisions responsible for their own roads. Deals that absolved the County of the duty to provide utilities to these subdivisions. These deals produced CHEAP LAND. People were willing to pay little for the land and live on catchment and pay their own road fees. So it doesn't fly with me for people to say, oh we pay road fees. Yes you do, because you paid less for the land, because the land developer didn't have to put in infrastructure. Land developers in Hilo had to provide infrastructure. It cost a lot. That is reflected in the price of land. You get what you pay for.

Read Land and Power in Hawai'i - the Chapter on the making of Puna subdivisions, and you'll understand how it came to be.

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Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

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