The Kula Community Association is pressing state and county officials to build two 500,000-gallon gravity-fed water tanks in Upcountry Maui to improve wildfire firefighting capacity. No concrete progress has been made since the August 2023 wildfires exposed critical water pressure failures in the area.
- The Kula Community Association wants two 500,000-gallon high-elevation water tanks built to enable gravity-fed water supply during wildfires.
- Power outages during the 2023 fires disabled pumps, causing water pressure drops at hydrants — a vulnerability the community says remains unaddressed.
- The association warns Upcountry Maui ‘remains highly vulnerable to the exact same compounding risks experienced in 2023.’
- State DLNR says municipal water infrastructure is under Maui County’s jurisdiction, requiring close interagency coordination before any project moves forward.
- Both the state and Maui County Department of Water Supply have expressed support for collaboration but have not committed to a specific plan or timeline.
Source: Maui News
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