Unsafe water advisory issued for Upper Kula and Lahaina areas affected by wildfires

Unsafe water advisory for Upper Kula and Lahaina areas includes new maps
Update: 10:16 p.m., Aug. 13, 2023

For residents in Lahaina and Upper Kula areas, maps of affected areas in Upcountry and in Lahaina were recently released on the county Department of Water Supply website.

The advisory remains in effect for certain areas until further notice and states that residents should not drink and/or boil water.

Bottled water should be used for all drinking, brushing teeth, ice making and food preparation until further notice. Residents are unable to treat the water in any way to make it safe.

Water buffalo tankers (one per site) with drinkable water are stationed at the following Upcountry locations: Crater Road, Copp Road, Kula Fire Station, Rice Park, Kula Community Center and Keokea. The West Maui locations include: Puamana Street, Kahoma Village, Lahaina Gateway Shopping Center and Honokohau. One tanker is at each site, with the exception of Lahaina Gateway, which has two.

• In Lahaina, the advisory applies to all areas except Kaniau Road and all areas north of Kaniau Road, including Villages of Leialiʻ i.
• In Kula, the unsafe water advisory is in place for the following areas:

Lower Kimo Road, Ainakula Road, Kukia Place, Malanani Drive, Kaalele Place, Uau Place, Malapua Road, Huina Place, Kulamanu Circle, Paliuli Place, Kulalani Drive, Kulalani Circle, Kualono Place, Kekaulike Avenue, Anuenue Place, Haleakala Highway, Upper Kimo Drive, Alanuilili Place, Meakoho Place, Upu Place, Keai Dha, Nana Pono Place, Kaui Place, Kuilalani Drive, Kulalani Circle Ainakula Road, Kukia Place, Nana Pono Place, Copp Road, Holomakani Drive, Kamila Street, Kamehameiki Road, Pulehuiki Road, Kolohala Drive, Ihe Place, Kahoea Place, Kamila Place, Mauna Place, Wahelani Road, Wahelani Street, Loio Place, Hoihoi Place, Waiakoa Road, Kuulani Place, Waiakoa Place, Kekaulike Avenue, Cooke Road, Johnson Road, Alae Road, Foster Place, Kepa Road, Puakea Place, Crater Road, Hapapa Road, Napoko Place, Puanani Place, Aolewa Place, Ponimoi Place, Kula Hwy at Keokea, Thompson Road, Ulupalakua, Kanaio, Polipoli Road, Kulanani Place, Koheo Road, Monden Drive, Pilikino Place, Area of Kula Hwy between Lepelepe Place and Malamahale Place, Lepelepe Place, Malia Uli Place, Malamahale Place, Naalae Road, Section of Lower Kula Road between Naalae and Waipoli roads, Waipoli Road, Kawehi Place, Oluolu Place and Kaolu Place.

Customers are advised to:

• Limit the use of hot water
• Limit shower and bathing time and use lukewarm water and ventilated area
• Use a dishwasher and the air-dry setting to wash dishes
• Wash clothing in cold water and avoid using clothes dryer
• Not use hot tubs or swimming pools
• Not use ice from icemakers
• Use proper ventilation when using water indoors

For maps of the affected areas, visit mauicounty.gov/water. For more information, call the department at 808-270-7344.

Update: 11:02 a.m., Aug. 13, 2023

The County of Maui Department of Water Supply is issuing an unsafe water alert for areas of Upper Kula and Lahaina affected by wildfires. As a precaution, customers in those areas are advised not to drink and not to boil their water. Instead of tap water, customers are advised to use only bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, making ice and preparing food.

The advisory is in effect until further notice.

Failure to follow this advisory could result in illness, according to the department and state Department of Health. Due to the wildfires, structures were destroyed and some areas of the water system lost pressure. Those conditions may have caused harmful contaminants, including benzene and other volatile organic chemicals, to enter the water system.

Customers are advised to:

• Limit the use of hot water
• Limit shower and bathing time and use lukewarm water and a ventilated area
• Use a dishwasher to wash dishes and use the air dry setting
• Wash clothing in cold water
• Avoid using clothes dryers
• Not use hot tubs or swimming pools
• Not use ice from automatic ice makers
• Use proper ventilation when using water indoors

For more information, call 808-270-7550.