For Immediate Release:
Press Release by:
Thomas Cook, Councilmember
Maui County Council
media@mauicounty.us
Council to consider resolution on prioritizing use of recycled water to preserve potable water for housing
KĪHEI, Hawaiʻi (Sept. 20, 2024)—Councilmember Tom Cook announced today that the council will consider at its meeting next Friday his resolution urging the county administration to prioritize the use of recycled water and preserve potable water for residential uses.
Cook said Maui County has faced chronic shortages of potable water, delaying construction of hundreds of affordable-housing units in South and West Maui. The resolution requests the mayor and Department of Environmental Management to invest in increasing recycled-water production and distribution and explore public-private partnerships to expand recycled-water use for irrigation and other appropriate purposes.
“Providing access to water is a fundamental county responsibility,” said Cook, who chairs the Water and Infrastructure Committee and holds the council seat for the South Maui residency area. “I hope the council can work with the administration and county departments to preserve our water resources while expediting the construction of affordable housing.”
Cook said the Maui Island Plan states that use of recycled water should be increased, because recycling wastewater sustains limited freshwater supplies. Recycled water also reduces reliance on injection wells for the disposal of treated wastewater, he said.
Information regarding upcoming council and committee meetings, including instructions on how to provide testimony, can be found at mauicounty.us/agendas.
For more information, contact council staff at media@mauicounty.us or 808-270-8008.
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