When the tide is high, water from the ocean enters storm drains and floods the low-lying Mapunapuna intersection of Ahua and Kilihau streets.

The problem is even worse when it rains.

Nearby businesses check tidal charts daily to find out when the water will come.

But city contractors are working on what might be a fix to the decades-long flooding problem.

The tidal flooding remediation project started last week. Contractors are removing debris from a drainage ditch near the intersection of Kakoi Street and Nimitz Highway before installing two large valves.

  Mapunapuna flood prevention work underway

 

Mapunapuna businesses are hoping construction work will prevent future floods.

 

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Project engineer Corey Lieber of PBS&J, a civil-engineering firm based in Tampa, Fla., said the valves will prevent back-flow of ocean water from Keehi Lagoon—the main source of the flooding—from entering the storm drain system during high tides and allow rainwater to drain out.

Workers will also install a concrete plug to block a storm drain connection along Ahua Street.

So far, contractors have removed at least three feet of sediment and debris from the city's 8-foot-deep drainage ditch with a large machine that operates like an oversize Shop-Vac to remove the muck. A shopping cart and car batteries were among the items found dumped in the ditch.

Contractors removed old valves that remained propped open because of the debris buildup, a contributing factor to the flooding problem, said Lieber.

The $600,000 city project is expected to be completed by mid-May.

The project cannot come soon enough for area businesses.

Medallion Carpet Hawaii Branch Manager Kevin Coronas said contractors first call the business to find out whether it is a good time to pick up material in an effort to avoid the high tides. Some employees park a half-mile away to avoid vehicle damage caused by the water.

HRPT Properties Trust, a real estate investment trust based in Massachusetts, purchased the Mapunapuna land in 2003 from Damon Estate. To address the flooding, HRPT spent approximately $800,000 on a study to assess the problem.

At United Truck Rental, agent Tanja Clark said correcting the ongoing problem would be a huge relief. “;I'm just glad that they found a solution,”; she said.