West Hawaii’s water well pump’s have been failing at an abnormally high rate, which has raised concerns of over pumping by the local golf course that has six wells tapped into the same aquifer.
With over 11,000 residents under emergency water restrictions while pump repairs are completed, it has not seemed to affect the Kohanaiki golf course and resort that has installed their own six wells that pump from the same aquifer. Thousands of gallons are pumped daily onto the greens and used to irrigate along with the resorts own wastewater treatment machine that produces gray water to be used only on their golf course and around the 100-plus anchialine ponds.
Jeff Zimpfer, chief biologist at the Kaloko-Honokohau Naitonal Historical Park, voiced his concerns about water aquifer issues at a public meeting held at the West Hawaii Civic Center two years ago. He went on record that park biologists had confirmed the natural salinity levels of the water in the ponds has changed after wells were installed and greater amounts of fresh water were being pumped out of the Kohanaiki resorts’ wells and runoff was affecting the natural balance of the fish ponds salinity levels.
The single factor that a well most commonly fails from is over pumping of an aquifer, which causes minerals to build up in the water that in turn causes pumps to clog and fail from corroded parts. Water Department officials should take into account every resident and resort that is being restricted in water use and determine weather the needs of the few wealthiest outweigh that of those that need it the most.
Cintas is a resident of Kona