Bill 189 restricts water use in times of need.

[mdd7000]

How are these commercial haulers being billed for the water? They pull up in large trucks at all hours of the day and night, fill up and leave. Is this an honor system?

[Obie]

quote:

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Originally posted by Greg
[Civil Defense maintains 15 water spigots around the county
I'd gladly find some way to come up with three thousand bucks for a meter and pay for safe water, but it's not going to happen. I live Puna.

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It could happen just like it did in my part of Puna.It cost me $5,500.00 for a meter though and that's what it will probably cost for other subdivisions to have private water systems.

Most water districts are separate entities from the county or city government.Many have been formed by citizens who have banded together just like we did here.

On the mainland our water district decided to upgrade the water mains to 8 inch and everyone in a certain area was handed a bill for about $6000.00.They could pay over 20 years and there were low income options and relief.This was just for an upgrade to the existing system.

It doesn't help here when the county keeps giving wavers to people subdividing the land.It needs to stop.

[mdd7000]

As to the ownership of the water, (free water) since the government here lays claim to all mineral rights, I surmise that they own the water. Just be glad that they are not taxing those people with private wells for taking "their water" out of the ground. Look at the tax that they levy upon the steam that the geothermal company uses - and I will add, injects right back into the ground.

[MarkP]

How can we be talking about emergency use and agricultural use at the same time? How could anyone draw enough water for agricultural use from these spigots? If water is so plentiful in Puna (It is. It falls from the sky in large, even excessive amounts) then someone who must rely on these spigots in desperation is truly and embarrassingly desperate. True, there are some people who would have trouble coping without this source of water but there will always be someone in that situation. Responsible public policy should not make the state or county codependent with such people.

[mdd7000]

MarkP; there are agricultural users who daily pull 4000+ gallon tankers under the large, overhead spigots. They don't pay a dime for that privilege. They may be filling large tanks that are routinely used for irrigation. Some veggies like tomatoes really like to have the same amount of water fed to them every every day or their production or quality suffers. Catchment for so much water is hit or miss. Here in lower Nanawale, I have had less than 1/10th inch since just after Christmas.

[David M]

Just curious, but if this bill is for emergency only, then why aren't all county water consumers impacted?

David

Ninole Resident

[Rob Tucker]

Interesting point David.

[Rob Tucker]

quote:

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Originally posted by mdd7000

MarkP; there are agricultural users who daily pull 4000+ gallon tankers under the large, overhead spigots. They don't pay a dime for that privilege.

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I have been told by the Department of Water Supply that that the overhead spigots are available under contract and the contract haulers, farm or commercial, pay a monthly fee.

[mdd7000]

How much of a fee and who checks that the trucks that are filling are actually paying customers?

[Greg]

I've noticed the large truck fill station at three corners (Pohoiki-Kapoho Rd) has six or seven locked meters on the ground. I assumed the commercial/Ag trucks had to unlock their individual meter to fill. I haven't noticed a similar setup at the newer Pahoa station.
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Mark P says:
Quote:
"someone who must rely on these spigots in desperation is truly and embarrassingly desperate."
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Let them eat cake, so to speak.






Stoneface