Heavy Rains Make Honolua Water Too Muddy For Filtration

By Wendy Osher

West Maui, photo by Wendy Osher.

The Mahinahina water treatment facility was temporarily shut down on Monday, December 12, 2011, due to high turbidity, or cloudiness of the water from the Honolua Ditch system.

The shutdown has resulted in low and possibly no water tonight and tomorrow morning in Honokowai and parts of Napili in West Maui.

Water officials on Maui say the heavy rains made water too muddy to go through the filtration system.

Personnel from the Department of Water Supply plan to restart the filtration process “as soon as conditions permit,” making every attempt to keep up with morning peak consumption.

The Mahinahina facility typically produces an estimated two million gallons of water per day.

Customers experiencing a water emergency are asked to call the service line at (808) 270-7633.