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Lahaina Water Infrastructure Firefighting Capacity
Inform
High
High
Design
County
State
County & State
Private
A Maui Fire Department truck
“We need an upgrade of our fire hydrant system using differed water lines. Fire hydrants need to be separate water systems from municipal, with more regular testing of pressure and maintenance.”
Community Quote from Long-Term Planning Recovery Survey
Purpose
By improving fire flow capacity of the water system, this project will improve public safety and support the County’s Department of Water Supply in fulfilling its core mission of reliably delivering safe potable water for generations. This project will immediately benefit Lahaina in the long-term recovery process and protect the community from future wildfire events. The Maui Fire Chief’s Wildfire After-action Report dated 4/18/2024 recommended that recovery efforts include increasing the Lahaina water system’s ability to meet fire flow requirements.
Project Description
This project will update the capacity of water infrastructure in Lahaina by improving pipeline and facility deficiencies to meet current hydraulic criteria to address low fire flow residual pressures in the water system. The County’s Department of Water Supply identified the most critical capacity deficiencies in the water system to be insufficient storage and undersized waterlines. Priority projects to mitigate deficiencies include:
- Construction of a new 1.7-million-gallon water storage tank to increase Lahaina’s water system’s storage from 4.4 million gallons to 6.1 million gallons
- Small-diameter pipeline upgrades to correct hydraulic deficiencies and improve fire flow
- North-south transmission main upgrades to improve the conveyance of water from north of the Lahaina system to south of the system
Interdependencies and Roadblocks
This project addresses the infrastructure upgrades necessary to meet capacity needs, but water source development is also a critical component of addressing capacity deficiencies. This will require collaboration with the Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) to secure the necessary water use permit allocations to accommodate new water source development in West Maui.
Next Steps
- Continue to partner with the State Department of Health and State Hawaiian Housing Authority to secure funding
- Identify funding for the new storage tank
Project Details
Cost Estimate:
$47.8 million
Existing Funding Sources:
- Hawaiʻi Department of Health Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Emerging Contaminants Loan: $15.1 million for upsizing Malo Street and Honoapiʻilani Highway 12-inch transmission main
- Hawaiʻi Department of Labor Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Loan: $9.6 million for upsizing small diameter <8-inch pipeline
- State Hawaiian Housing Authority:
- $12.1 million for new 16-inch pipeline Installation from Wahikuli Pump Station to Wahikuli Storage Tank
- $18.5 million for upsizing Wahikuli booster pump station
Project Lead:
County Department of Water Supply
Potential Funding Sources:
- FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
- HUD Community Development Block Grant Program
Project Partners:
- County Department of Fire and Public Safety
- State Commission on Water Resource Management
- State Department of Health
- State Department of Land and Natural Resources
- Hawaiʻi Public Housing Authority
Alignment with West Maui Community Plan (WMCP)
- Goal 2.1 Ready and resilient systems
- Action 1.28 Preserve and maintain existing reservoir and water storage infrastructure within West Maui for fire protection capabilities and agricultural uses