Drought watch runs its course for Upcountry Maui residents
The Maui Department of Water Supply has lifted the drought watch for Upcountry Maui.
On Friday, department officials cited improved water levels for the action.
In 2009 the department asked for a voluntary 5 percent cutback in water use by Upcountry residents.
Customers with agricultural water rates were exempt from the request. The affected areas included Haiku, Makawao, Olinda, Haliimaile, Pukalani, Omaopio-Pulehu, Kula, Keokea-Waiohuli, Ulupalakua and Kanaio.
DWS Director Dave Taylor said, "The Upcountry area will always be susceptible to drought, and the DWS recommends that all customers continue to use water wisely. It is very likely that drought conditions will return later in the year."
Maui pursues chicken control
Maui County is seeking the help of the Maui Humane Society to control feral chickens after one knocked out power to Kahului Airport last month.
People on Maui say the feral chicken population is increasing, and with it problems associated with the wild birds, which aren’t fat and tasty like domesticated chickens.
The Maui News reported that Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa is proposing a nearly $200,000 increase in the Maui Humane Society’s budget. He wants the society to use some of that funding to develop a response to the island’s feral chicken problem.
Humane Society officials said that increase would merely bring its funding back to 2009 levels. But the organization said it will try to look for low-cost ways to address the chicken problem.
Compost plan in the works
Hawaii County is poised to issue a long-term contract to divert most of its waste from the county’s two landfills.
However, West Hawaii Today reports, the contract will virtually close the door on prospects for development of a waste-to-energy incinerator for the island.
The Hawaii County Council is working on a composting plan that could divert 60 percent of the trash from landfills. The idea is to have a private vendor take organic waste that would otherwise be taken to landfills and make compost out of it to sell to the public.
Officials say waste-to-energy isn’t considered cost-effective for a trash stream of less than 500 tons per day. Hawaii County’s current waste stream, before any organic waste is removed, is just below that.
