The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-10-31
WATER SUpp[YoF u
HONOLULU Being
RAPIDLY Wasted
Water Commission, Headed BY
G. K. Larrisom Collects Alarm
ing Facts and Statistics 4
$500 if
TERRITORY HYDRoGRAPHER
RETURNS FROM KAUAI TRIP
A. 6: Chandler. Coas,aWaitf Ex-
pert Accompanies Local En-
gineer In Investigation

Honolulu's water supply is being
drawn on at present far in excess Of
the available supply, and in City years
or less, at the present rate OF consump.
ton and waste Of water, there will not
be an artesian wen left on the Island,
OF Oahu.
This Is the alarming conclusion, sup
ported by mass OF evidence and data,
reached by the Territorial Water Com
mission after six months Of rigid sci.
entife investigation. The commission,
created by the last legislature to draft
"a new water law, was empowered 10
probe the problem Of domestic water
supply. and hire experts TO survey the
situation from both engineering and
legal points Of view. The members Of
the conlmission are q. K. Garrison.
chairman, who is territorial hydrdgfa-
iphsf, Arthur o. Smirh. deputy affor-
ney. general, and I. +. sedewick. stats.
Itleisn Of the Department. Of puolic
work Going Forward
The work Of the commission has been
going forward quietly and unostenta.
itiously. The Commission must report
10 Governor Pinkham in Deeember,
admitting draft of the proposed new
law on the water situation and the
data on which its proposals and eohelu-
-sions are based. The work Is rapidly
bearing completion s@l'
A. Z. Chandler member Of the State
water commission Of California, was
employed by the territorial commission
tc. help draft the law needed TO con
serve. the artesian wen water supply,
which constitutes approximately three
fpurths Of the available water. he
has been directing the Investigation
into the legal phase Of the, under
ground water supplies on all the
islands, but with particular reference
TO the water used by Honolulu, He
has looked over the situation and made
"a study Of the needs Of legal restraint
ON water used on Kauai and Oahu. cape.
cially. Chandler has Jeei studying
the situation since October IL, and win
leave here November, Z.
Want Law to Hold Water
!. From his work win develop the main
object Of the COMMISSIONS water law
that holds water, literally and hgnra-
lively. The water law at present Is
Designed to prevent waste, but it does
not define waste and, as a result, As
Meanwhile, according to the findings
of the commission, the problem Of wa;
ter wastage is most acute and threat-s
ems to develop into serious Situation
for the Territory. \.
r. g, Rice and r. ID. Klise hive
been the engineers whose Investigation
developed the vital need Of conserv-
ing the artesiaA water wen supplies
They have collected q mass Of data
and have taken evidence in al parts
Of the islands on both the underground
and surface supplies Of water.
\ Their work proves that the present
,artesidn wen water supply Is actually
being drawn on every day In excess Qf
the supply. This includes both the
use and abuse Of water for the con.
sumption Of water on Oahu reached a
high percentages over actual needs on
account Of excessive waste, the com
mission hnds.
Use Of water At the present rate will
wipe out every artesiah wen on the IL
land of Oahu, according to the com
mission. Fifty years is placed by the
experts as the outside time Init the
wells viii last under present conditions
and the chances are, they say, that
the present eonsuhiptioh win get in its
deadly effects much sooner.
The effect Of the present needless
Consumption Of water will be 70 re-
iduce every. aftesian wen on tie il.
lind, 20 sea level. This Ahding Of the
.eomhiissioh IS based on the general
fact that whatever is drawn from One
well lowers the level not only in that
well but in nearby wells, SO the effect
Of ,wastage and excessive use Of water
from one part Of the island has its
effect on the whole srtesian supply. Z