Chemical quality of ground water in Hawaii

As the quantity of water needed in certain localities of Hawaii is rapidly approaching the quantity of usable water available, identification and protection of the quality of existing and potential water supplies are becoming ever more critical. Certain factors are already identifiable as problems affecting the quality of ground water in Hawaii: (1) over-development leads to salt-water encroachment by local upconing; (2) agricultural and industrial uses and discharges deteriorate both present and potential water supplies; and (3) the increasing practice of underground disposal of domestic wastes, with insufficient information to protect the water resource creates a potential hazard to developed and future supplies.