Kokua Line June Watanabe

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City still trying to find source of water leak

Question: For more than a year, Holomua Place in Palolo has needed repairs to a growing pothole. It started soon after the Palolo Chinese Home began renovating its property. City and Board of Water Supply crews have been up to investigate, patch and cover the affected area. Neighbors have reported that water percolates under their homes and on their properties. Meetings with the city and Palolo Home seem to have gone nowhere. BWS and city road crews found no leaks coming from their pipes. The neighborhood is frustrated and trying to figure out what's going on. Can you look into the problem?

Answer: The problem is that officials from both the city Department of Planning and Permitting and the Department of Design and Construction are still trying to figure out the source of the seepage.

Until they do, they can't plot a course of action.

"We have not made a determination of the source of the ground water, but it may ultimately be typical seepage, which is quite common in hillside areas, (such as in) Mililani Mauka, Manoa, Nuuanu, etc.," said David Tanoue, deputy director of planning and permitting.

There is "no clear evidence" that nearby construction or the Palolo Home's parking lot area is a contributing factor, he said.

"The topographical lay of the land would seem to show that any water from this source would flow away from Holomua Road," Tanoue said.

"We also understand that a geotechnical engineer hired by the owner of the Chinese Palolo home site could not make a determination of the source of the water."

His department will be working primarily with Design and Construction to see what options are available.

Q: I obtained a form from the Bank of Hawaii's Kaneohe branch to give my son access to my safety deposit box. Two weeks later, I returned it but was told I could not place a person on my account without them being present to sign it. I spent 27 years in the military, and whenever my parents or my spouse wanted to place me on a bank account, they would send me the form and I would sign it at the base legal office. Why does Bank of Hawaii have a policy that people have to sign forms in front of them when a person doesn't live here? Why isn't a notarized form acceptable?

A: Bank of Hawaii apologized for the confusion and inconvenience it caused.

A notarized signature is acceptable.

"Our policies do allow for a notarized signature when a person is being added to an account, provided we are able to authenticate the identity through an additional process," said spokesman Stafford Kiguchi. "Unfortunately, this was not offered to the customer at the time."

He said the bank strives to ensure compliance with customer identification requirements under the Patriot Act, but "we regret the delay in meeting our customer's needs."

We're told your son has since been provided access to your safe deposit box.