#upcountry water

Following recent rainfall that improved surface water flows and replenished reservoirs, the County of Maui Department of Water Supply is suspending the Stage 3 Upcountry water shortage alert and downgrading it to Stage 2, effective immediately and until further notice.

Council Vice-Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura issued a reminder about tonight’s community meeting focused on Upcountry water source development. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at the Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani.

The Maui Department of Water Supply advises the public of an Upcountry water service outage from 7:30 a.m. to approximately 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27. This outage will impact 25 homes and eight standpipes.  #water #Upcountry #OlindaRoad

With a Stage 3 water shortage in effect for Upcountry areas, the County of Maui Department of Water Supply is providing additional information.

Night work is scheduled to take place from 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 to 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22, in Upcountry, Maui.

As part of their quarterly “Manaʻo on The Mountain” Community Potluck series, Kula-based nonprofit, Mālama Kula, will be hosting Department of Water Supply Chief Engineer James Jensen, for an Oct. 22 discussion on Upcountryʻs water system, and where Kula gets its water from.

Council Vice-Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura announced today that two community meetings focused on Upcountry water source development will be held on Thursday, Oct. 9, and Tuesday, Oct. 28, both beginning at 6 p.m. at the Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani.

The County of Maui Department of Water Supply is now using backup supply for the Upcountry water system starting today, Sept. 11, 2025, after receiving approval by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, Safe Drinking Water Branch to reintroduce water from Hamakuapoko Wells 1 and 2.

Due to existing and projected water shortages, the County of Maui Department of Water Supply will introduce backup supply to the Upcountry water system that serves Upper and Lower Kula, Makawao, Pukalani, Hāliʻimaile and Haʻikū on or around Sept. 5, 2025.

A Stage 1 water shortage is now in effect for customers in the Upcountry, Maui, service area, the County of Maui Department of Water Supply announced.

Council Member Tom Cook announced that he will request further committee review of a resolution for a water-delivery agreement with Free Market Ventures for Upcountry Maui at Friday’s 9 a.m. council meeting.

 Council Member Yuki Lei Sugimura will host a community meeting on Wednesday, March 27 at the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani from 6 to 8 p.m. The focus of the meeting will be on a potential water source development agreement between the County of Maui and Free Market Ventures, LLC.  

The Haʻikū Community Association hosts a Holiday Pizza Party for its year-end meeting of 2023 on Wednesday, Dec. 20 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Haʻikū Community Center.

The County of Maui Department of Water Supply announced that mandatory water conservation is necessary for hotels, resorts and other businesses, along with visitors and residents, of South Maui. South Maui comprises Kīhei, Wailea and Mākena.

The Department of Water Supply has lifted the Unsafe Water Advisory for Upper Kula, removing the two remaining areas, UK-2B and UK-5.

The Department of Water Supply has declared a Stage 1 Water Shortage for water consumers in the Upcountry, Maui service area. The service area includes Makawao, Upper and Lower Kula, Haʻikū, Pukalani, Kokoma, Kaupakalua, Ulumalu, Kēōkea, ʻUlupalakua, and Kanaio.

The team has collected water samples from Kula and Lahaina that are being tested for contaminants in labs on Maui and Oʻahu. Ten samples had been tested as of Aug. 27 and about 60 more are headed to the labs.

Maui County Water Director John Stufflebean addressed Kula residents during an Aug. 25 meeting and explained what was being done and what would be done to provide clean, drinkable water for areas affected by the recent fires.

The County of Maui is urging residents in a number of Upcountry areas, including Upper Kula and Kēōkea, to stop using tap water, effective immediately, while an unsafe water advisory remains in effect. Several structures in the Upper Kula area were destroyed by the Kula wildfire, causing the water system in the area to lose pressure. The loss of pressure may have allowed harmful contaminants, including benzene and other volatile organic chemicals, to enter the water system.

An unsafe water notice is still in effect for fire affected areas Upcountry and in parts of Lahaina.  Water sampling will continue today Aug. 18 and Sunday Aug. 20. Water testing will continue for some time to ensure it is safe for drinking. Testing will continue for some time to ensure drinking water is safe.