Council to Review Proposed Purchase of Wailuku Water Co. Land

ʻĪao Valley, Wailuku River. Photo 10.4.16 by Wendy Osher.

The Arakawa administration on Wednesday transmitted a request for funding and approval to Maui County Council members in order to purchase 8,764 acres of land and easements owned by Wailuku Water Company in the West Maui watershed.

Should funds be approved, the county would obtain the land and the Wailuku Water Company’s water conveyance system.

While the assessed price came back earlier this month at $11.1 million, the proposed acquisition price is $9.5 million.

“That assessment proves that the community is getting a good deal if we pay $9.5 million instead of the actual assessed value of $11.1 million,” said Mayor Arakawa. “This land purchase will benefit the community in many ways, including facilitating the return of surface water to streams and rivers, improving the county’s own public water system, helping to protect the historical and cultural aspects of ʻĪao Valley as well as take precious water resources from a private entity and placing them into public hands.”

Back in 2016, Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa announced that WWC officials were willing to sell half of their property along with the water conveyance infrastructure that was on it, and requested that Maui County Council members approve funds to assess the land.

Purchase of the property and its assets are subject to approval by Maui County Council members who have full authority to approve or reject the request.