#EMWA

The East Maui Water Authority has rescheduled its Fiscal Year 2027 grant workshop in Keʻanae to Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, at Keʻanae Uka. The previously scheduled session was postponed due to Tropical Storm Lala.

Due to Tropical Storm Lala, County of Maui East Maui Water Authority is postponing its ‘Aha Wai O Maui Hikina Board meeting, which included a community discussion. The meeting was slated for Aug. 17, 2026, in Kula. A rescheduled date will be announced soon.

Due to Tropical Storm Lala, County of Maui East Maui Water Authority is postponing its ‘Aha Wai O Maui Hikina Board meeting, which included a community discussion. The meeting was slated for Aug. 17, 2026, in Kula. A rescheduled date will be announced soon.

Individuals, nonprofits and for-profit businesses with projects that support watershed restoration, education, research and/or cultural knowledge-sharing that benefit the communities of Huelo, Honomanū, Keʻanae and Nāhiku are encouraged to apply for County of Maui East Maui Water Authority grants. The grant application period runs Aug. 12, 2026, through 5 p.m. Oct. 1. EMWA has a total of $150,000 available for Fiscal Year 2027 grant awards.

The County of Maui East Maui Water Authority has selected five recipients for its inaugural community grant program, which supports local projects focused on water stewardship, cultural practices, environmental restoration and community collaboration in East Maui. Projects funded through the program include: the East Maui Farm, led by Nāpua Hūʻeu; Nā Moku ʻAupuni ‘O Ko‘olau Hui, led by Jessie-Ellen Kekiwi-Aweau; Friends of Twin Falls, represented by Maile Davis; Okada Design, led by Corinne Okada Takara; and Kahu ʻĀina: Earth Guardian Network, led by Liana Murillo.

Op-Ed: As parts of East Maui face a historic drought, two local water leaders say Maui stands at a crossroads.

Residents emphasized key East Maui water priorities – such as the acquisition of the East Maui water system, infrastructure upgrades, the creation of a new East Maui base yard and watershed health initiatives – during three County of Maui East Maui Water Authority community workshops.

This month’s workshops will build on ideas and priorities shared during watershed and resource-planning EMWA gatherings held over the summer in Keʻanae, Haʻikū and Kula.

The County’s newly established East Maui Water Authority (EMWA) and its regional advisory board, ʻAha Wai o Maui Hikina, invite community members to a series of free public events focused on watershed and water resource planning.

Maui Mayor Richard T. Bissen, Jr. wrote a letter to Board of Land and Natural Resources Chair Dawn Chang, urging her to hold off on holding a contested case hearing on the disposition of an East Maui Water License, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 8. Bissen said talks have already begun between the parties and he wants both sides to have the full opportunity to resolve the issue amicably.