Hanalei water outage Thursday to affect smaller area than previously announced by county officials

HANALEI — The Department of Water’s planned water outage for the Hanalei area from 9 p.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Friday will affect a much smaller area than previously announced, according to county officials.

The change is due to the Department’s partnership with Princeville Utilities Company Inc., which will result in water being redirected from the PUCI to DOW’s system.

During the outage, customers mauka of Kuhio Highway from the ‘Ohiki Road intersection to the Aku Road intersection will have no water. Customers along ‘Ohiki Road will also have no water service.

All other customers in the Hanalei-Waipa area will have water provided by PUCI, although they may experience low water pressure.

Visit www.kauaiwater.org for a detailed map of all affected areas.

The shutdown will allow the department’s contractor, MEI Corporation, to connect a newly installed waterline to the existing system.

Affected customers are advised to take the following steps:

• Store enough water to meet their needs during the outage.

• Notify family, friends, and neighbors that may be affected by the outage.

• Those with faulty water heaters should ensure that their water heaters do not empty during the outage.

• Exercise caution while driving through the area.

DOW will provide a portable water tank along Ohiki Road. Customers will need to bring their own water containers.

When the water main is turned back on after the connection has been completed, it is possible that air will be mixed with the water. If this happens, the water will appear white or milky. The air in the water will dissipate after a while and should not be cause for alarm.

The DOW apologizes for the inconvenience and thanks affected customers for their patience and cooperation in preparing for the water outage.

Call 245-5461 during business hours, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., for more information. After business hours, call Police Dispatch at 241-1711.