New report finds single-family homes were biggest water users in Lahaina before 2023 wildfires

KAHULUI (HawaiiNewsNow) — A new report from the state found that single-family homes, not hotels, were the biggest water users in Lahaina before the 2023 wildfires.

The Commission on Water Resource Management says homes in the area used about 5.5 million gallons a day.

Hotels were responsible for consuming 3.5 million gallons a day, about 2 million fewer gallons a day than area homes.

The CWRM report also found most homes averaged less than a thousand gallons every day.

Non-owner-occupied homes, like long or short term rentals units or second homes, actually tended to use more.

The report found that those types of properties were consuming even more water than ones lived in by homeowners, according to the recently released report.

They used about twice the amount of water, averaging 1,469 daily gallons.

“If every unit in West Maui that is currently hooked up to a single-family dwelling meter cut back its water use to even 1,000 gallons per day, we could save almost 2 million gallons of water in Lahaina. And that does not even count hotels, condos, and apartments,” said Ciara Kahahane, CWRM’s Deputy Director.

The commission hopes the report will help guide future decisions about West Maui water permits. They plan to discuss the findings at a meeting next Tuesday.

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