Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 7, 1 July 1996 — State Water Commission postpones decision on well permit applications [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

State Water Commission postpones decision on well permit applications

The State Water Commission postponed a decision on permit applications for Moloka'i Ranch to drill a well near Kamiloloa system on Moloka'i at a public hearing on Monday, May 20, 1996. The well would draw 1.25 million gallons a day (mgd) from the Kamiloloa system of the Moloka'i aquifer. Moloka'i Ranch proposed to use the water in conjunction with extensive development of its dry West Moloka'i land. In attendance at the public hearing were at least 500 Moloka'i residents, and representatives from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL). Testimony in opposition to the applications went on for several hours. By law the Water Commission is required to consider the water needs of the Hawaiian home lands on Moloka'i before these applieations ean be acted upon. The Water Commission postponed a decision on Moloka'i Ranch's request to certify it's "existing uses" of water totals at 1.2 mgd of surface water for 16 homes, cattle and agriculture. Previously Moloka'i Ranch claimed 300,000 to 500,000 gallons per day. The Commission also denied a request by

Kukui ine. to raise its current water use permit for potable groundwater from Kualapu'u aquifer system. A video of Kukui ine. dumping water into dry gulches was shown by the community with allegations that Kukui was wasting water.

West Moloka'i and homestead lands: opponents of Moloka'i Ranch wells say there is not enough data on available ground water.