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

The Maui County Department of Water Supply said 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 said light rains have helped reduce water demand by a small amount.

The National Weather Service's drought information statement said West Maui has deteriorated into a severe drought, while east-facing slopes of Maui and Moloka'i remain in a moderate drought.

The county asked Upcountry residents and businesses from Ha'iku to Kanaio to voluntarily reduce water consumption by 5 percent.