The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-08-12
WATER SUPPLY.
IS RUNNING
SHORT
Artesian Head Being Rapidly
Lowered by Excessive Use
and Waste.
SOME is ALREADY BRACKISH
Government Ownership, Thinks
Campbell, the Only
Remedy.
is ALREADY BRACKlSH

The artesian waters underlying the
island Of Oahu are being decreased at
an alarming rate, according to a state
ment made by Superintendent Marston
Campbell, and unless measures be TAX
en- very soon to regulate their use, it
will be but short time until all the
plan1Gtions on this island will be in
serious difficulties on account of the
water turning brackish. The only two
the use of the subterranean waters can
be properly regulated, MIR. Campbell
thinks, is by putting them under gov
eminent control, and he will advocate
this plan, both to the Governor and
before the next legislature.
1t is by no means true, as has for
a long time been thought, that the
supply of artesian water is inexhausti-
BILE. There is only just so much water
and if too much is used or wasted, the
artesian head is lowered so much that
the seepage from the sea creeps back
and turns the water brackish.
This condition, it is authoritatively
stated, has already been reached on Oa-
hu plantation, where through excessive
use, the artesian head has been lowered
more than ten feet below its original
level and the water is already turning
brackish, so much so, in fact, that
grave fears are expressed as to the
future. This, it is said, accounts in
large part for the plan of tunneling
through the Koolau range of mountains
to bring across the water from the
windward side of the island.
The pumps on this plantation, it is
stated, are now working much beyond
their originally planned capacity in
order to raise the water. This is ex-
pensive, hard on the pumps and gener-
ally unsatisfactory, leaving out of con-
sideration the poorer quality of the
water so obtained.
Much of the underground waters are
being wasted, says Marston Campbell,
and have been wasted for years. There
is a law which requires that all arte-
sian wells must be capped This law
is generally complied with, so far as
the letter is concerned, but the fact
is that many of the caps will not work.
Mr. Campbell stated recently that he
had tried large number of them and
the wheels were so rusted through long
disuse that they could not be turned.
Meantime the water was rapidly run
ing to waste. This condition prevails
to a greater or lesser extent all over
the island. 1t is largely on account
of this waste that the artesian head
has been so rapidly lowered and with
such disastrous results.
Marston Campbell says he can see no
way to regulate this use of underground
waters except by turning them over
to the government. The plans, he
acknowledges, is sOcialistic, but he con
siders ii necessary. The underground
waters must belong to the Territory
and their use be regulated by the proper
authorities if the sugar industry on
Oahu is to be kept from serious dis
aster.
There is plenty of water, says Camp.
bell, to supply the plantations and other
interests if it be intelligently and eco,
n0nically used, but if it is to be allow
ed to run to waste the way it is being
NdSbeu HoWs lHeTe IS nOInlHg DuU as
aster in sight. There is none too much
water and every drop is valuable 1t is
n vital necessity to the community that
the artesian head be not lowered be-
yond a certain point, or instead of pure,
fresh water, we shall be getting brack.
ish water, the seepage from the sea-
Something must be done and done
quickly if the situation is to be saved.
-s.%-S.-