On September 29, the Commission on Water Resource Management scheduled a hearing on O’ahu Sugar Company’s release of up to 15 million gallons a day of water from the Waiahole ditch on the leeward side of the island. At the same time, the commission was to take “preliminary action” on the petition for restoration of Waiahole Stream.
The recommendation to the commission from its staff is that O’ahu Sugar Co. be ordered to divert into Waiahole Stream all water collected at the North Portal of the tunnel in excess of 14.7 million gallons a day. Such water as remains in the Waiahole Ditch should be made available by O’ahu Sugar to farmers wanting to plant crops in the leeward side, provided the farmers make application with the Water Commission, the staff report recommends.
The recommended actions are effective for no more than six months. Before that time is up, the Water Commission is expected to make a final decision on the water of the use of water in the Waiahole Ditch.
Volume 5 Number 4 (October 1994)
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