Historic drought strains Upcountry Maui water systems – Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Report on the Upcountry Maui Water Crisis and Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Upcountry Maui is experiencing a historic drought, leading the County Department of Water Supply to declare a Stage 3 water shortage. This report analyzes the crisis through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting challenges and strategic responses related to water security, food production, climate action, and community resilience.

Water Scarcity and its Impact on SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

The current water shortage represents a significant challenge to achieving SDG 6, which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water for all. The system’s vulnerability is underscored by a combination of environmental and infrastructural factors.

H3: Declaration of Stage 3 Water Shortage

For the first time in its history, Upcountry Maui has been placed under a Stage 3 water shortage. This follows a period of escalating restrictions, with Stage 1 declared on April 17 and Stage 2 on September 11. The declaration affects numerous communities, including:

• Makawao
• Upper and Lower Kula
• Haiku
• Haliimaile
• Pukalani
• Kokomo
• Kaupakalua
• Ulumalu
• Keokea
• Ulupalakua
• Kanaio

H3: Causal Factors and System Vulnerability

The crisis is driven by a prolonged drought that has severely diminished stream flows in East Maui. The ditch systems, which historically delivered up to 300 million gallons per day (MGD), now provide less than 5 MGD. With typical consumption at 10 MGD, the system’s reliance on surface water (7 MGD) and groundwater wells (3 MGD) is under extreme stress. Reservoir storage recently fell to 127 million gallons, a supply estimated to last approximately two months under continued dry conditions.

Socio-Economic and Environmental Implications

The drought’s effects extend beyond water availability, impacting food security, community equity, and environmental stability, touching upon SDGs 2, 11, and 15.

H3: Threat to Food Security and Livelihoods (SDG 2: Zero Hunger)

A significant policy shift under Stage 3 is the removal of exemptions for agricultural customers, who previously had a grace period. This directly threatens local food production and the livelihoods of farmers, undermining progress toward SDG 2. Local farmers report that without reliable water access, crop failure is imminent, jeopardizing the viability of full-time agriculture in the region.

H3: Community Resilience and Infrastructure Challenges (SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities)

The crisis highlights long-standing infrastructure deficits and raises concerns about equitable resource distribution, central to SDG 11. Residents and community groups express opposition to connecting the Upcountry system to Central Maui, fearing that water could be diverted to higher-profit developments, leaving local farms and residents vulnerable. This points to a need for resilient and equitable infrastructure planning.

Addressing Climate Change and Promoting Sustainable Consumption (SDG 13 & SDG 12)

The drought is situated within the broader context of climate change and necessitates a shift toward responsible consumption patterns.

H3: Climate Context and Long-Term Trends (SDG 13: Climate Action)

Scientists link the current conditions to a longer-term “millennial drought” characterized by below-average rainfall since 2000. Shifting tradewind patterns are altering rainfall distribution, making areas like Upcountry significantly drier. This underscores the urgency of climate action and adaptation strategies as mandated by SDG 13.

H3: Implemented Conservation Measures (SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production)

To promote responsible consumption, Stage 3 imposes strict measures:

1. Cessation of all nonessential commercial and industrial water use.
2. Prohibition of turf grass irrigation.
3. Watering of plants and gardens is limited to once weekly via drip irrigation or hand-watering.
4. Leaks must be repaired within two days.
5. Prohibition of personal vehicle washing.

Strategic Responses and Pathways for Sustainable Water Management

The county and environmental groups are advocating for immediate and long-term solutions to build a more sustainable and resilient water management system.

H3: Immediate and Community-Level Interventions

The Department of Water Supply (DWS) is promoting conservation by offering free water-saving devices. Community leaders are urging residents to adopt a “water budget” approach, aligning personal consumption with available resources. These efforts have resulted in an approximate 20% reduction in water usage since the Stage 3 declaration.

H3: Proposed Long-Term Solutions for Resilience (SDG 6, 11, 15)

To secure a sustainable water future, stakeholders have proposed several long-term strategies that align with multiple SDGs:

• Watershed Restoration (SDG 15): Restoring natural ecosystems to improve water retention and stream health.
• Infrastructure Development (SDG 6 & 11): Expanding reservoir capacity, drilling new wells, and improving treatment plant capabilities.
• Sustainable Practices (SDG 12): Incentivizing rainwater catchment systems and reducing potable water use for non-essential purposes like resort landscaping.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   This is the most central SDG, as the entire article revolves around a severe water shortage, the management of water resources, and the need for water conservation in Upcountry Maui. The declaration of a Stage 3 water shortage directly addresses the availability and sustainable management of water.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   The article discusses the vulnerability of the Upcountry community’s water infrastructure to drought. It highlights the need for resilient infrastructure, such as expanded reservoirs and new wells, to ensure the community’s long-term water security and make it safe, resilient, and sustainable.

3. SDG 13: Climate Action

   The drought is explicitly linked to climate change. The article mentions “longer-term climate trends,” “below-average rainfall since around 2000,” and “shifts in tradewind patterns.” The community’s response and long-term planning are actions to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

4. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   The water crisis directly threatens food security and sustainable agriculture. The article states that for farmers, “Without water, crops fail, and livelihoods are at stake.” The removal of water restriction exemptions for agricultural customers highlights the direct impact on local food production.

5. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   The article emphasizes the need for sustainable consumption patterns for water. The strict conservation measures, the call for residents to adopt a “water budget,” and the promotion of water-saving devices are all aimed at ensuring the responsible and efficient use of a finite natural resource.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity. The article directly addresses this through the implementation of Stage 3 restrictions, which include stopping nonessential commercial use, prohibiting turf irrigation, and requiring leak repairs. The goal is to manage consumption to match the drastically reduced supply from streams and wells.
   • Target 6.5: By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels. The article discusses the management of a complex system involving surface water from streams, ditch systems, groundwater wells, and reservoir storage. The debate over connecting to Central Maui’s system and the call for watershed restoration reflect the challenges of integrated management.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters. The drought is a water-related disaster affecting the entire Upcountry community. The county’s actions are aimed at mitigating its impact on residents and the local economy, particularly agriculture.
   • Target 11.b: By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters. The article details the county’s plan, which includes immediate conservation measures and long-term strategies like “expanding reservoir capacity, drilling new wells, and improving treatment plant capacity” to build resilience to future droughts.

3. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The entire response to the drought—from water restrictions to long-term infrastructure planning—is an exercise in strengthening resilience and adapting to the impacts of climate change, which the article identifies as a root cause of the prolonged dry conditions.

4. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters. The article highlights the vulnerability of the current agricultural system, as farmers are now subject to severe water restrictions, threatening their crops and livelihoods. This underscores the urgent need for more resilient agricultural practices in the face of recurring droughts.

5. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. The strict conservation measures imposed on residents, businesses, and farms are direct efforts to manage the natural resource of water sustainably and efficiently. The suggestion for residents to adopt a “water budget” further reinforces this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for SDG 6 (Target 6.4)

   • Level of water stress: The article provides clear data points indicating extreme water stress. It states that ditch system flows are “less than 5 MGD” compared to a historical capacity of 300 MGD, and that “Most streams have been at or near zero flow for weeks.” This serves as a direct measure of freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources.
   • Change in water-use efficiency: Progress is explicitly measured. The article notes that “Upcountry usage down roughly 20% since the Stage 3 declaration.” This percentage reduction in water consumption is a direct indicator of increased efficiency due to conservation measures.

2. Implied Indicators for Other Targets

   • Reservoir storage capacity and levels (Target 11.b): The article mentions that reservoir storage “fell to 127 million gallons, has rebounded to 153 million gallons,” and that this supply is “expected to last roughly two months.” Tracking these levels and any future expansion of capacity would serve as an indicator of resilience.
   • Stream flow data (Target 6.5, 13.1): The statement that stream flows “remain far below historical averages” implies that historical and current flow data are being used to monitor the severity of the drought. This data is a key indicator of the health of the watershed and the impact of climate change.
   • Impact on agriculture (Target 2.4): While not quantified with a specific metric, the article’s description of farmers’ inability to continue without water (“crops fail, and livelihoods are at stake”) implies that crop yield and economic losses in the agricultural sector could be used as indicators to measure the impact of the drought and the effectiveness of adaptation strategies.
   • Adoption of water-saving technologies (Target 12.2): The DWS offering “free devices, including faucet aerators, leak detection tablets…shower heads,” etc., implies that the distribution and adoption rate of these technologies could be tracked as an indicator of progress in responsible consumption.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: staradvertiser.com