Contested Case Hearing for Nā Wai ʻEhā Postponed Indefinitely

Nā Wai ʻEhā, graphics/montage by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

The Nā Wai ʻEhā contested case hearing on Instream Flow Standards has been postponed indefinitely as parties continue mediation.

The Commission on Water Resource Management announced the change saying the parties are in discussions over potential avenues of settlement.

The contested case hearing involving permits and instream water flow standards at Nā Wai ʻEhā or “the four great waters” in Central Maui, was scheduled to commence this week and next, but has been postponed pending developments of discussions.

The hearing was centered around a petition to amend interim instream flow standards at Waiheʻe River; and Waiehu, ʻĪao, and Waikapū Streams. The hearing schedule was also supposed to cover ground water management issues.

The latest developments come after years of legal wrangling over water rights and the health of the streams, with partial restoration of water ordered and implemented in 2010.