Maui Council refers to committee proposal for interim ban on new West Maui swimming pools

Maui County Council members referred to the Disaster Recovery, International Affairs and Planning Committee on Friday a bill to impose interim restrictions on construction of new private swimming pools in West Maui.

Introduced by West Maui Council Member Tamara Paltin, Bill 161 includes legislative finding that it’s an “urgent priority” to supply water to West Maui residents “to support stable housing,” especially after the August 2023 wildfire disaster that destroyed more than 2,200 structures.

“A private swimming pool is an amenity that requires a large quantity of potable water but does not serve essential housing needs,” the finding says. And, “the West Maui community has access to public swimming pools and beaches for recreation and exercise.”

It also notes that the State Commission on Water Resource Management designated the Lahaina aquifer as a “surface and groundwater management area,” as of Aug. 6, 2022. The designation put management of West Maui water resources in the hands of the state water commission. Among its management goals is ensuring that salty water doesn’t intrude or harm groundwater quality in the West Maui region.

According to the bill, the restrictions on new swimming pools in West Maui would remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2030, or until certain conditions have been satisfied.

These include a determination that reliable capacity for the West Maui water system, including pre-fire system requirements, exceeds demand. And, they require the completion of three phases of the West Maui groundwater availability study, consisting of field reconnaissance, permits and design studies and developing well specifications; well-monitoring and needs assessment; and drilling additional water wells and collecting at least a year’s worth of production data from them to determine their reliability for the West Maui system.

Paltin chairs the Disaster Recovery, International Affairs and Planning Committee.