Water-main
break repaired in
Waianae
The break affected water
pressure to the district's
entire coastSee also Island Images
By Treena Shapiro
Star-BulletinBoard of Water supply crews today finished repairing a broken 24-inch water main near the Honokai Hale and Nanakai Gardens subdivisions that cut off water to several dozen homes and affected water pressure to the entire Waianae Coast.
"I have hardly any water. It kind of dribbles out," said Robert Davis, a Nanakai Gardens resident who said he was going to find a laundromat to wash his clothes.
The main broke at about 8:30 yesterday morning at Farrington Highway near Laaloa Street. The homes most affected by the break are off of the highway between Kapolei and Ko Olina.
"It was like a wave," said area resident Nancy Hess, describing the gushing water. She said kids took out their body boards and rode the water down the street.
Hess said this is the third time in two years that the main has broken near her neighborhood.
Board of Water Supply spokeswoman Denise DeCosta said work to replace the main is scheduled to begin this year.
Supervisor Gary Gomes said water from Waianae and Makaha was being sent to Barbers Point to make up for the loss of the 24-inch main, but the homes near the break would not have water until the main was repaired. Crews worked through the night and patched the broken main at about 3:40 a.m., DeCosta said.
Water trucks were sent to the neighborhood yesterday and residents along the entire Waianae Coast were asked to conserve water. Fire Battalion Chief Arthur Ugalde said he did not think the low water pressure would have had an effect if a fire were to break out, because they have pumpers that can increase water pressure to hydrants.
Business customers in the area, including the Hawaiian Electric power plant at Kahe Point, the Ihilani Resort and Spa, Germaine's Luau and the Paradise Cove Luau said their operations were not affected by the main break.
