The Department of Water Supply will hold an informational meeting to discuss an upcoming improvement project at its Ka‘ie‘ie Mauka facility in Papaikou.
The meeting will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. today at the Papaikou Community Center, located at 27-228 Maluna Place.
According to information provided on the DWS website, the $2.2 million project includes the construction of a new control building, chemical injection system, waterline upgrades and relocation of the existing booster pump station, among other improvements.
Nyssa Kushi, information and education specialist at DWS, said the purpose of the meeting is to inform the community about the project and explain possible impacts due to construction.
“The meeting will also help DWS establish a communication link between the Department and the community for future project updates.”
According to Kushi, the Ka‘ie‘ie Mauka facility, located near the top of Ka‘ie‘ie Road in Papaikou, serves the upper portion of the Papaikou water system and consists of a well, booster station, control building and storage tanks.
Ground water is pumped up from the aquifer below, disinfected and stored and distributed for public consumption, but there is no water treatment plant at the site, she said.
“The project has been in the planning stages since 2005 and is meant to consolidate the existing infrastructure to the Ka‘ie‘ie Mauka site,” said Kushi. “The project will increase staff efficiency for daily tasks and provide an upgraded booster pump system and controls.”
Isemoto Contracting has 365 calendar days to complete the project, money for which comes from the Hawaii Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
Kushi said that fund is a state-administered loan program for public water systems and DWS will be required to pay the loan back over a 20-year period.
Construction on the project has not yet started, she said, and a preliminary schedule will be provided by the contractor at the meeting.
However, Kushi said during construction, residents along the upper section of Ka‘ie‘ie Road may experience no water or lower water pressure during a couple of temporary water shutoffs for pipeline connections.
“Barring unforeseen circumstances, these will be for a duration of six hours or less and advance notice will be provided,” she said.
There will also be additional construction traffic along Ka‘ie‘ie Road, but there will be minimal impact to the highway and the general public.
For more information on the project, visit hawaiidws.org, call 961-8060 during normal business hours, or email dws@hawaiidws.org.
Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
