Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, August 23, 2019

Outside the courthouse in Hilo today, supporters and some of the nine of 38 kūpuna who were arrested for protesting the Thirty Meter Telescope on Maunakea on July 17. The man in the center, Kahoʻokahi Kanuha, is a spokesperson of the Protectors of Maunakea camp. Read what he had to say to the kūpuna, below. Photo from Big Island Video News

WOOD VALLEY WATER & FARM CO-OP presented its history and outlook to the Hawaiian Home Lands meeting at Pāhala Community Center last night. Co-op Pres. John Weist explained that the system serves water to 45 members for homes and agriculture. The plan is to expand to no more than 50 members. The Co-op seeks a long-term water lease from the state for 45,000 to 50,000 gallons per day from Noguchi Tunnel. which averages an outflow of 850,000 to 1.2 million gallons per day.
     The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands held the meeting to understand needs of residents and agriculturalists in Kaʻū, and to gather input from its beneficiaries on its own proposal to reserve 2.7 million gallons of water a day from Kaʻū sources.
     Weist gave the history of Wood Valley water: The basic Wood Valley water distribution pipe system was installed approximately 70 years ago. By the year 2000, after much encouragement from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Health, the non-profit Wood Valley Water & Farm Co-op formed and began a long, comprehensive, and tedious process to become a Public Water System. Also in 2000, additional lines were run to those who needed water. Members were equipped with a meter, pressure regulator, and a back flow preventer. A master meter measured flow at the tunnel source. A new dam and spillway deeper into the tunnel and two heavy-duty, lockable security gates insured water quality.

     "Three years later, after monthly water tests and lots of work," said Weist, "we were awarded our Public Water System permit (PWS 166). At that time we had approximately 35 service connections (75 permanent residences). We are currently up to 40 connections, and have mandated a service area of 2.2 sq. miles, approximately 1409.28 acres, and a ceiling of 50 hookups." He explained that the Wood Valley water system is fed by Noguchi Tunnel, built in the early 1900's by the owners of Kaʻū Sugar, the C. Brewer Co., with help from USGS. "It has been, and remains, the only source of potable water in the Wood Valley area. The system uses no native streams, lakes, or other bodies of native water. It is not contained within or bordering any Department of Hawaiian Home Lands reservations.
     Weist noted that Noguchi Tunnel is filled by watershed rainwater seeping through thousands of feet of lava rock coming down the Eastern slopes of Mauna Loa above Wood Valley. "We are a gravity fed perched aquifer with no pumps, no electric service, and no chemicals used in the transfer of water from the tunnel to the homes in Wood Valley."
     Weist said that the Co-op "has aggressive upgrade, maintenance, and conservation programs," including, over the last four years, upgrading the 70-year-old galvanized steel pipe from the tunnel source to the valley floor. It "should not require additional work for the foreseeable future." He reported that the Co-op has also instituted a tiered billing system to encourage water conservation and has contingency plans for water shortages.
     Wood Valley Water & Farm Co-op created a Strategic Plan for its Public Water System 166 in 2015. A 188-page Watershed Management Plan for Noguchi Tunnel received board approval in July of 2017. The Co-op has three certified distribution water system operators (DSO's) to maintain and operate its public water system through the state Department of Health. The DSO's come from three of the 40 membership households. "Our membership contains many experienced persons who have been working on this water system for over 20 years. Members include retired engineers, plumbers, draftsmen, accountants, and farmers, "as well as good laborers, who all volunteer to keep the WVWFC water flowing," said Weist.
     He noted that the Co-op will maintain the wellhead gate, pipe, meter, and valves currently located there. "This also ensures our compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Branch of the Department of Health for a public water system." He noted there is no vehicle access to the tunnel. "All repair parts and equipment must be carried to the site by our workers. The nearest any vehicle can get to the tunnel is just less than a mile." The Coop's service area is zoned agriculture. Members have a wide range of agricultural practices including: forestry (Koa trees), coffee, cattle, sheep, flowers, greenhouse crops, tea, and mac nuts. The vast majority of hookups also have homes, so it's used as potable household water also.
     Weist reported that over the last few years, the coop's water use averaged "a bit more" than 10,000 gallons per day, with some days running closer to 20,000 gpd. "This, of course, depends on changing farming practices and weather conditions. At this time, our water usage is approximately 35 percent household and 65 percent agriculture. Due to the fact that the Coop has allowed for some future growth within our limited area, and that weather and farming practices vary with time and conditions, we don't expect to ever exceed 45- 50,000 gpd of usage."
     Noguchi tunnel averages 850,000 to 1.2 million gallons per day outflow.
     For more information on Wood Valley Water and Farm Coop, contact Secretary/Treasurer Vanessa Guy at 808-238-6073 or Weist at 206-818-2388, or email wvwfc00P@yahoo.com or jwinphi@gmail.com.

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