The Honokohau well remained out of commission last week, with users from Keopu to Puukala in North Kona asked to observe a 10 percent voluntary conservation. ADVERTISING The Honokohau well remained out of commission last week, with users from Keopu
The Honokohau well remained out of commission last week, with users from Keopu to Puukala in North Kona asked to observe a 10 percent voluntary conservation.
The Hawaii County Department of Water Supply is in the process of taking bids for repairs to the well under an emergency procurement.
It is not clear what caused the breakdown last week, or how long it will take to fix it. The pump draws an average of 1.6 million gallons a day and services some 3,000 accounts.
“We should have (a contractor) on board next week,” said DWS chief of operations Daryl Ikeda late last week.
Ikeda declined to speculate on how long it would take for the well to be operational, saying project timelines can vary widely depending on the work that needs to be done.
“Once we award the bid, the contractor will examine it and we’ll know what needs to be done,” he said.
The well is one of the major water sources for North Kona. To make up for the loss of flow, water is being drawn from four other wells that supply the area, Ikeda said.
“We just have to stretch it,” he said.
DWS manager Quirino Antonio said the Hualalai wel soon will be operational and help bolster supplies. The well is under an ongoing repair contract.
“We’re pushing the contractor to get it back online,” Antonio said. “It should be done within the next few weeks.”
Under the 10 percent conservation notice, users are asked to wash only full loads of laundry, check faucets and pipes for leaks, reduce shower times, irrigate at night and with a pail for small jobs, and use a broom instead of a water hose for cleaning.
Agricultural users are asked to keep water use to a minimum and irrigate only during the nonpeak hours of 8 p.m.-6 a.m.
Email Bret Yager at byager@westhawaiitoday.com.
