HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The owner of the Kapalua Golf courses is offering to spend more than $40 million to improve West Maui’s water system.
The proposal was made during a state water commission hearing Tuesday over complaints that the courses were allowed to use drinking water during a recent drought.
TY Management, owned by billionaire Tadashi Yanai, said it would buy the Maui Land and Pineapple’s Honokohau water system, improve reservoirs, and build a pipeline from Lahaina to supply recycled water to Kapalua.
The company said it would then turn the system over to the government at no charge.
“It’s about ultimately getting to the R-1 water (the highest grade of treated, recycled wastewater) to our golf course,” TY Management attorney Ben Kubo said.
Drinking water use draws criticism
The hearing centered on complaints that the state allowed Kapalua to draw from the drinking water supply during a drought, which led to cancellation of the Sentry golf tournament.
State land and water chair Dawn Chang wrote a letter that was used to justify the decision.
TY Management said it had no role in that choice.
“We don’t operate the valves. We don’t know where the water is coming from day to day. We just take the water from the reservoir,” Kubo said.
Community members and environmentalists called on the commission to overturn the opinion that using drinking water was acceptable in an emergency.
“Using clean, drinkable groundwater to irrigate a golf course, especially in an historic drought, is an insult to our community,” said Karyn Kanekoa.
Earthjustice attorney Dru Hara urged the commission to act independently of political and private economic interests. An exchange between Hara and a commissioner grew heated before Hara walked back the remarks.
“All due respect, Commissioner, that was not my intent to point that finger at the commission, and I apologize,” Hara said.
Complications remain
The $40 million-plus offer faces at least one significant obstacle: TY Management and Maui Land and Pineapple are currently in litigation over the water system’s maintenance, and Maui Land and Pineapple would have to agree to sell.
Maui Land and Pineapple denies mismanagement of its water diversion system caused the shortage of water.
Kubo asked those present to consider the proposal on its merits.
“I would like all of the community that’s present here today to truly try to listen to what our ideas of a solution are — to bring more water to West Maui — and to have an open mind on it,” Kubo said.
The county has stated its long-term intention to own all water systems in the area, though a timeline and cost remain unclear.
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