WAILUKU, Maui — Water use in Maui County’s Upcountry has gone down slightly since the county declared a drought in the area amid dry weather conditions and falling reservoir levels.

The Department of Water Supply says water use fell to 8.23 million gallons per day in the week following the drought announcement, compared to 8.7 million gallons per day in the previous week.
Water Director Jeff Eng says light rains have helped reduce water demand by a small amount.
The National Weather Service’s drought information statement says West Maui has deteriorated into a severe drought, while east-facing slopes of Maui and Molokai remain in a moderate drought.
The county asked Upcountry residents and businesses from Haiku to Kanaio to voluntarily reduce water consumption by 5 percent.