County distributes 1,800 solar shower bags to upcountry water stations

The County of Maui Department of Environmental Management has distributed more than 1,800 solar shower bags to water stations in Maui’s upcountry areas where an unsafe water advisory has been in effect since Aug. 11.

Starting at 9 a.m. tomorrow, a shower trailer with one shower stall and one washer and dryer will be available for public use in the parking lot of Anytime Fitness at 24 Kiopaa St. in Makawao.

More than 1,800 shower bags were placed next to tankers of drinkable water at Kula Lodge, Crater Road, Copp Road, Holy Ghost Mission, Rice Park and Ching Store. There are instructions for filling the shower bag and placing it in the sun to heat up. Once heated, the bags can be hung from the shower head at home so the water in the bag can be used instead of water from the faucet.

The tankers were placed at upcountry locations when the water advisory was issued Aug. 11. Residents in impacted areas are not able to treat the water in any way to make it safe to consume with contaminants possibly having entered the water system.

About 75 percent of shower bags delivered Monday were gone by Tuesday, when another 1,000 shower bags were distributed to the same locations. Approximately 3,000 more shower bags will be distributed later this week.

The distribution is being done as part of the county Department of Environmental Managementʻs Environmental Protection & Sustainability Waste and Hygiene Assistance Program.

For questions, call the Recycling Hotline at (808) 270-7880.