HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

199

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

requesting the maui county department of water supply to conduct a study on the feasibility and availability of ground water resources in upcountry maui in order to eliminate the need for lead treatment and chemical additives in the upcountry maui water system.

 

 

WHEREAS, higher than acceptable levels of lead in the upcountry Maui drinking water system were found in past years; and

WHEREAS, treatment methods such as soda ash (sodium carbonate), calcium carbonate, sodium polyphosphate, and various silicates, failed to control the lead leaching out of old lead pipes in private homes in the area; and

WHEREAS, the anti-corrosive C-9 (zinc chloride and phosphoric acid) was added to the upcountry Maui water system in an effort to control lead leaching out of old lead pipes in private homes after other alternatives failed to control the problem; and

WHEREAS, this corrective measure was endorsed by the state and the EPA in order to be in compliance with the lead and copper rule; and

WHEREAS, the addition of C-9 to the upcountry Maui water system began in June 2001 and was fully operational since September of 2001; and

WHEREAS, many residents made complaints of skin, eye, and lung irritation that they attributed to the addition of C-9 to the water system; and

WHEREAS, the EPA claims C-9 to be a safe additive based on an Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) document examining carcinogenicity, oral and inhalation exposure of zinc compounds and an FDA Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) document, there does not seem to be toxicological data of a regulatory nature for C-9; and

WHEREAS, as a result of community concerns, C-9 is being removed from the drinking water of upcountry Maui and is being replaced with an alternative phosphate to continue mandated treatment for excessive levels of lead as directed by the Safe Drinking Water Act; and

WHEREAS, as opposed to surface water resources, ground water resources are anti-corrosive, meaning ground water will not contribute to lead leaching and will not require treatment or additional chemicals; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, the Senate concurring, that the Legislature requests the Maui county department of water supply to conduct a study on the feasibility and availability of ground water resources in upcountry Maui in order to eliminate the need for lead treatment and chemical additives in the upcountry Maui water system; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of the study should be submitted to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2004 Regular Session; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the State Department of Health, the Maui County Department of Water Supply, the Maui County Board of Water Supply, the Maui County Council, the Office of the Mayor for Maui County, the Kula Community Association, the Pukalani Community Association, the Makawao Community Association, and the Haiku Community Association.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Ground water resources in upcountry Maui; feasibility and availability study