(BIVN) – The Honokōhau well, which has been pumping around 1 million gallons of water a day, went down Friday morning.
Hawaiʻi County Department of Water Supply Deputy Kawika Uyehara says the well has been operating since it returned to service around 6 months ago and they do not know why it failed. Uyehara said the spare parts for the Honokōhau Well have been ordered and should arrive from the mainland in a few months.
Water Supply will be activating a new well, Kau #2, within the near future to serve the Kaʻimanini and Makalei areas of West Hawaii. The Department is keeping a 10% voluntary water conservation in place for West Hawaiʻi.
The same well was giving the department headaches a year ago. An Emergency Water Restriction Notice was issued on August 13, 2017, after the failure of the Honokōhau Deepwell. At the time, it was the fifth well in the Kona area to go out of service. The Honokōhau well was repaired in October, and the water 25% water restriction was downgraded in January to the current 10% voluntary water conservation.
This message was issued by the Department of Water Supply on Friday afternoon:
Hawaii County Department of Water Supplyon March 9, 2018
This is a Department of Water Supply (DWS) update for Friday afternoon, March 9, 2018 at 1:30 p.m.
Due to ongoing repairs to wells in the North Kona area, the Department of Water Supply’s 10% Voluntary Water Conservation remains in effect. Residents are reminded to continue conservation efforts by using water as efficiently as possible.
As of this morning, Honokōhau well is offline. Hualālai and Wai`aha wells continue to be undergoing repairs also.
The Department will be activating a new water source, Kau #2 well, in the near future. Kau #2 well was approved as a potable water source by the Department of Health and meets all federal and state water quality requirements. Customers who receive water from Kau #2 (Mākālei, Pu`ukala, Kaiminani areas) may notice aesthetic differences in the water since it is a basal freshwater source.
Water tank levels will continue to be monitored and evaluated on a routine basis. However, in order to maintain water service to all its customers, the department may need to raise the water restriction level if conservation efforts are not adequate.
The Department of Water Supply thanks the community for their diligence and continued efforts to conserve, recognizing that we are all stewards of water, our most precious resource.
For more information on water conservation, please visit our website at www.hawaiidws.org.
For other questions or concerns, call 961-8050 during normal business hours, 961-8790 for after-hour emergencies, or email: dws@hawaiidws.org.
Updated information will be forthcoming as it becomes available.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Sherry Bracken contributed to this report.
by Big Island Video News
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STORY SUMMARY
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaiʻi - The County's Department of Water Supply has lost yet another of its high level wells on the west side of the Big Island.