Water Wells in Hawaii may be Contaminated by Asbestos, Other MaterialsMolokai, Hawaii - Maui County officials told reporters on Monday of this week that they plan to investigate allegations that poor maintenance and security may be to blame for contaminants at the site of the Kawela water wells on Molokai. Asbestos has been spotted at the site, which is a material linked to lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Kaunakakai resident J. William Feeter emailed Department of Water Supply Director Jeff Eng, Mayor Charmaine Tavares and County Council Chairman Danny Mateo on Monday regarding this issue. He also provided a copy of the letter to local newspaper The Maui News.
In the letter, Feeter included photographic evidence that showed areas of the site where security was lax, such as a broken chain-link fence, an abandoned flatbed truck, and an incomplete wall constructed from cinderblocks.
"Apparently, the west perimeter chain-link fence has been taken down, and construction of a cinder-block wall started but not completed," Feeter said. "There is no surveillance system or posting of signs."
Feeter went on to surmise that the area "has obviously been used as a dumping site...There is an old truck, broken transit pipe, hydrants, plastic pipe, fittings, pump parts, electric panels, chunks of paving, asbestos pipe and gravel...Is there not some value to some of this metal or equipment?"
"With present conditions, the site would not pass sanitary inspection," he said. "The community is at risk." The two wells at the site provide about 17.8 percent of the island's water supply.
