HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0659.006 2008-2010Friends of Puna's Future
P.O. Box 1959, Pahoa, HI 96778 808 - 965 -15550
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Date: Jan 13, 2010 z F, rn
To: J. Yoshimoto, Chairman, County Council
Subject: Bill 189 , T `
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Aloha J., n)
FoPF has had some concerns about Bill 189 and it's intentions to limit water collection from county
spigots to 55 gallons per day.
It is a practical consideration that the general intention of making water available for human consumption
is a public good which has been abused. Using these water facilities for car washing is wrong and that
needs to be curtailed. However in times of drought people will be turning to these facilities for water
for their crops, livestock and gardens and in those instances 55 gallons might not be sufficient
to people's legitimate needs.
I have discussed this with Quince Mento at Civil Defense and Friends of Puna's Future would like to
offer the following proposals to address the needs of the county budget and the legitimate needs of
the people.
1. Create an ordinance to prohibit inappropriate uses of water from county facilities. Specifically car
washing, boat washing, washing ginger as mentions in Comm. 659. Do not include large quantities of
water in this ordinance.
2. Do not meter water or charge the public for water for human consumption or agricultural needs.
There will be an expensive backlash as some will likely damage or destroy the metering equipment
and that will result in the opposite of controlling costs. Instead we suggest that the CoH separate
water as a commodity from access to large quantities of water. This can be accomplished simply by
installing parking meters at the spigot locations. With Quince I did a simple calculation where if 25 cents
was charged for a sufficient amount of time to fill a 100 gallon container the CoH would receive income
sufficient to offset it's water spigot budget by 50 %.
In a parking meter environment anyone walking into the facility with containers would have free access
to as much water can they can carry (not much water). Containers requiring a vehicle to carry would
have to park at the spigots to load. 100 gallons might cost 25 cents. 400 gallons might cost $1.00.
This would meet the needs of all level of users. Quince Mento tells me that the commercial water
haulers are metered separately and billed by contract.
Any official entering a water facility could see at a glance who has paid their parking meter fee just like
the parking lot at the COunty Government Center. We might guess that 50% of the people would
willingly pay the fee. Another 50% might try to avoid under risk of a parking ticket. In any event this
proposal could assist the budget by generating revenue in lieu of restricting consumption. More
politic.
Please consider these suggestions from us as a proactive community group who favors solutions to
simply complaining.
Mahalo,
Rob Tucker
FoPF
965 - 1555.5
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