Advocacy in Action: Engaging the Department of Water Supply on Critical Safety Issues
At the Wildfire Safety Advocates (WSA), we believe that proactive dialogue with key decision-makers is essential to building a fire-resilient community. This month, our advocacy efforts continued with an incredibly productive meeting with the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply (DWS).
Our Executive Director, Matt Chalker, met with Managing Chief Engineer Okamoto, Deputy Uyehara, and County Council Member James Hustace. The discussion focused on several critical issues where water access and management intersect directly with our community's safety and well-being.
Here’s a recap of what was discussed and the progress we made.
Exploring Emergency Evacuation Routes
A key part of our mission is to ensure multiple ways out of Waikoloa in an emergency. We discussed the potential of using two existing utility access roads for emergency evacuation purposes:
The East-West Puako Road: DWS confirmed that authorization for emergency use of this road would need to come from the State DLNR. In a significant win, Managing-Chief Engineer Okamoto agreed to draft a letter of support for this initiative, which will be crucial in our upcoming discussions with the state.
The North-South Road (owned by the WVA): We confirmed strong community support for designating this route for emergency use. DWS experts noted that the County Department of Public Works would need to assist in making the road, particularly the gulch crossings, safely traversable, with special attention to flood plains.
This represents a concrete step toward creating viable emergency options for our residents.
Pursuing a Resilient Water Supply During Power Shutoffs
A significant concern for WSAW is maintaining water pressure for firefighting during a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event. We asked about the potential for replicating the Lalamilo Wind Farm model to create an independent power source for our wells.
DWS provided crucial technical insight: during a PSPS, the Lalamilo windmills are also disconnected from the grid and cannot power the wells, which instead switch to generators—a system similar to what Hawaii Water Service (HWS) uses. Chief Okamoto suggested that solar power with battery storage would be a more reliable and "firm" solution than wind for this specific application. This guidance helps sharpen our focus as we advocate for a more resilient power solution for our water pumps.
Understanding Our Water Source and Usage
We engaged in a broad and informative discussion about the complex world of our local water supply, including:
Aquifer Management: We learned that Waikoloa is situated on the boundary between the Waimea and Anaehoomalu aquifers. This is a critical piece of information as the allocated yield for the Waimea aquifer is reached, which could have long-term implications for our community.
Water Conservation: We explored ideas like water recycling systems for golf courses to reduce freshwater demand significantly. DWS was enthusiastic about this concept, which presents a exciting opportunity for public-private partnerships to conserve water and potentially enable responsible housing growth.
A Model for Effective Advocacy
This meeting is a prime example of the work WSAW does every day: building relationships, asking tough questions, and finding common ground with officials to advance practical solutions. We are not just identifying problems; we are actively working with the agencies that can help us solve them.
We extend our sincere mahalo to Managing-Chief Engineer Okamoto, Deputy Uyehara, and Councilmember Hustace for their time, transparency, and genuine engagement. Dialogue like this is how we turn ideas into action and make Waikoloa a safer place for everyone.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to follow up on these important initiatives.
-The Wildfire Safety Advocates of Waikoloa
