Maui Water Rates Focus of April 15 Meeting

Water Director Dave Taylor.

By Maui Now Staff

The Council’s Budget and Finance Committee will receive public input on proposed water rates and fees for the 2015 budget, during a special evening meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, in the Council Chamber, committee chair Mike White announced today.

“To accommodate the public who cannot attend our daytime deliberations, a pau hana meeting will enable residents to participate,” White said in a press release.

“I urge the public to come out on Tuesday, share their thoughts about the proposed increases, and help the committee make decisions to balance the budget,” he said.

According to the announcement, the director of the Department of Water Supply presented a revised water meter fee proposal, which includes increases intended to recover some of the costs of developing water sources.

The department proposal reportedly includes a $14,060 fee for a new 5/8” water meter, which translates to a $2,000 increase over the current fee this fiscal year. Under the proposal, “new and larger-sized water meters would increase at a proportional percentage of roughly 16.6% over FY 2014, which would mean a $737,220 increase for a 12-inch meter,” the announcement said.

The Water Department is expected to make a presentation on their proposed new fee structure at the committee’s April 15 meeting. The increases proposed by the Water Department are reportedly higher than what the mayor has proposed in his version of the budget.

White notes that Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa’s proposal includes increases to water service rates and monthly water meter service charges for general and agricultural water consumers.

“For example, general water consumers with a 5/8” water meter who use 5,000 gallons or less per month would pay 10 cents more, from $1.80 to $1.90 per 1,000 gallons, while agricultural consumers using 15,001 gallons or more per month would have their rates increased by 5 cents, from $1.15 to $1.20 per 1,000 gallons,” the announcement said.