Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-07
NUUANU WATER
famine OPENING
UP BIG PROBLEM
CONTINUED from page one)

Star Bulletin of April ). 1915, we no
tice a printed copy Of a petition to
he presented to your honorable body
at meeting to he held Tuesday
evening, April s, 1919, by the resi-
dents and taxpayers Of upper Nuuanu
valley.
your petitioners allege that the
city water supply has been and is be-
ing depleted, to SUCH an extent that
it is almost impossible to get enough
water from the Euuanu reservoirs for
cooking and ordinary domestic pur'
poses. 1t Is further alleged that the
Hawaiian Electric Company. Ltd. in
accordance with the terms OF their
contract with the Territory. has for
the last two years been using water
from the Nuuanu reservoirs to the
extent OF 10000 gallons per day to
|. the detriment and injury of your Pc
titiOners.
We feel that your petitioners
have not approached the cause OF
This water famine with fairness to
the Hawaiian Electric Company or
themselves. We do not believe that
YOUR petitioners have made any study
of the water resources or conditions
of the Nuuanu reservoirs or formu-
lated any definite or practical plans
for the conservation OF their water
supply.
Two years ago the Hawaiian Elec'
trio Company. deeming it advisable
TO use mountain water in its boilers,
applied, as any individual or corpora
ton has the right to do, to the prop
er authorities for the same. They
were informed that the government
would not extend its mains for so
great a distance for one customer
The company thereupon agreed to lay
the necessary pipe at its own eX-
pense, the same to become the prop
erty of the government at the ter
mination Of contract for period OF
years. The contract was drawn up,
the company paying the same rate
and coming under the same regula-
tons as any other customer 1t was
not until the major portion of the
pipe had been laid that any objec-
ton was made. An injunction suit
was threatened against the company.
but later it was mutually agreed that
the questions, in difference be submit
ted to the supreme court on an
agreed statement of facts, pending
which DO connection would be made.
However, no agreed statement OF
facts was, ever. arrived at and the
matter was dropped by the represent
tatiyes Of the residents of Upper
Nuuanu.4-. - = ~--$~ . -
1.-THE connection was finally made
in September. 1913, with the know.
ledge and acquteseence. of such rep
resentatfves. ~ .. - .:,..
4 1--WE note from the petition that the
senate committee > decided against
the government and the company and
in favor of the rights of the public,
but we do not believe that the peti.
tieners,, as they infer, sincerely, be-
! rlieve that this proves the illegality OF
; the contract.
4 Although the petition does not so
state outright, the impression which
| it conveys is that The Hawaiian Elec'
trio Company through an Illegal con
tract has used large portion Of the
water of Nuuanu valley and is to
blame for the present shortage OF
water to the residents above Judd
street. The facts are as follows:
THE water supply obtained from
Nuuanu valley is approximately l.
900, 100000 gallons annually, or 5000,
900 gallons per day. The amount
1 used by The Hawaiian Electric Com
pany during the last year has been
/ little over, Is. DOC, 900 gallons or about
i five days supply. uring the creates
part of 1914 large quantities Of wa
ter, estimated variously from $500,
900 to 100000 gallons per day, went
to waste over the spillWay of reser
yoirs No. 2. Further, Nuuanu valley
water has been used to supply not
only the residents Of upper Nuuanu
but also lower Nuuanu, the business
districts Of Honolulu, the wharves. ant
the district of Makiki. These districts
were still being supplied with Nun
anu water until almost the end o.
March, receiving approximately 5000,
600 gallons per day Notwithstanding
the fact that only about 100000 gal
Ions per day were going into the res
eryoirs of Nuuanu, and that these dis
tricts could be supplied by pumping
artesian water. On January l, 1915
there we're 10000, 900 gallons of watel
in the four reservoirs of Nuuanu. Oh
March % they were practically emp
ty. On that same day the pump!
were started and day later artesiar
water was supplied to all customer
| below Judd street. Now, granting
that all the water which has beer
used by The Hawaiian Electric Com
pany could have been conserved. thu
/ shortage would have been delayed
| FIVE days, If. land it is a large If
the county engineer. or whoever Il
| responsible, had discontinued supply
ing customers below Judd street Will
Nuuanu water on March %.
. I'VE would like to- ask the. peti
TONERS how the cancelling Of the cor
l tract of The Hawaiian Electric Com
Il -o.r ,,,;IY colvo tho Iuotor, 0ueStiOIi n