Safe Maui Water Catchment Systems


September 30, 2011

One of the most important components to a safe and healthy home is your water source. Water is precious, and even here on Maui, where non-locals might expect plenty of potable water due to tropical, rainy conditions, we have our droughts too. As you search for Maui real estate, you may notice that talk of water catchment systems appears in the mls listings. Let’s talk about what exactly that is.

Rainwater catchment is the process of catching rain from a surface, such as a rooftop, where it is transported via a conveyance system to a storage container for domestic use, agriculture, water features on the property, etc. The former two uses are especially prevalent in Hawaii, but water catchment is growing more popular in many places all over the world as the changing global climate influences water supplies.

It is important to know that water catchment systems should not be considered potable (drinking) water, seeing as there is no government agency oversight of systems like this in Hawaii. Many of them are private, so it is up to homeowners to take care of maintenance and to use the systems properly. You will need to purify your water, and make sure the pH levels are healthy, especially during periods of volcanic activity.

Here are some helpful websites where you can learn more about making water from catchment systems safe for you and your family or your tenants. This Hawaii Rainwater Catchment Systems Program website, presented by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, will break things down simply for you, so you can easily learn how to take the right steps toward developing a healthy water source via catchment. We also recommend that you check out the Hawaii State Department of Health Safe Drinking Water Branch link on water catchment.

As for selecting the right Maui property for your needs, we can help you there. You’ll find our contact information at the bottom of the page.



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