Water and sewer line breaks become common and lubricate unstable soils

Frequent water and sewer line breaks have interrupted service and added dangerous levels of water into the soil layer, adding to destabilization.  The slideshow below captures just a sampling of the leaks in recent years.  Neighbors began noticing unexplained water trickling from the pavement as early as 2006.  Though they alerted the city, no repairs were made when the problem was small.  Years later, Kuahea St and many of the homes on it have been destroyed.

Despite ongoing road and utility work - the water line breaks continue.  Here is the latest break from October 16, 2020.

October 14 and 15, 2020  A new fire hydrant installed at corner of 2278 and 2280 Waiomao Road. This will replace the broken hydrant at 2301 Waiomao Road.  Work was finished on new hydrant at approximately 7pm on October 15. The BOWS crew then walked up to work on the area at the storm drain fronting 2314 Waiomao Road.  This area has been worked on countless times in the past 2 years. When asked if they were planning to shut off the water to the neighborhood, they said “No, they were going to work on a small leak at the meter.”

At approximately 9pm on October 15, residents find that the water HAS been shut off. Still no water and Work continues past 10:30 pm that night. Water is restored sometime before 5am on October 16.  At approximately 5:30 am on October 16 Residents hear water running down Waiomao Road and find source coming out of the area that BOWS had just worked on.

Residents called in to BOWS and workers got on site and water shut off again at 6:30 am October 16. Water restored at 11am October 16. Workers depart sometime before 2:00 pm October 16.  Of note – BOWS did NOT supply a water wagon to the neighborhood during either water shut off. 

BOWS crew working on Waiomao Rd.

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Storm drain on Waiomao Rd after work was completed.