KILAUEA – A $900,000 construction project to replace Kolo Road’s aging water line is set to begin July 6, the Department of Water announced Monday. The Kolo Road Main Replacement project includes the installation of a new water line into
KILAUEA – A $900,000 construction project to replace Kolo Road’s aging water line is set to begin July 6, the Department of Water announced Monday.
The Kolo Road Main Replacement project includes the installation of a new water line into the Kilauea water system along Kolo Road between the vicinity of Malulani Place and Pukalani Place.
“Anytime we can do improvement on the water, it’s great for Kilauea,” said Bill Troutman, Kilauea Neighborhood Association seniors representative. “The water lines are old. We had it on our house, where it had galvanized pipes after the plantation days and it was rusted out.”
The state-funded project will install 1,300 feet of pipe and is set to be complete by January, according to the DOW.
Kim Tamaoka, DOW spokeswoman, said the DOW is unsure how many houses will be affected by the installation. She added that residents will experience some water shortage by the end of the project.
“When a water shutdown has been scheduled for the new connection, we will notify all affected residents on how they should prepare for the time period without water,” she said in an email. “If it is scheduled to be an extended water shutdown, then we will provide a water buffalo for residents.”
Tamaoka said the new water line will also enhance fire protection for Kilauea Elementary School.
Yoshi L’Hote, KNA president, said he wished the DOW spoke to the community about the project before announcing construction plans.
“I just hope that they’ll be more courteous to the people that will be affected by it and they directly contacted those neighbors that everybody on the street is fully aware of the impact that the work will be causing,” he said.
Tamaoka said the project also includes the installation of new valves, hydrants, service laterals, meter boxes, air valves, permanent clean-outs, valve boxes, connections to existing water lines and pavement resurfacing and restoration.
The contractor may have intermittent one-lane road closures and will direct traffic appropriately until construction is completed, she said.
Construction hours will be from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the week.
Subcontractors Earthworks Pacific, Inc. will spearhead installation of the water line and will be working with county and DOW officials.
“As long as we keep our communications with the county, both the Department of Water and Department of Public Works as well as with the engineer, it should go very smoothly,” said Kevin Wataya, project superintendent for Earthworks Pacific.
Earthworks Pacific plans to complete connection of the water line by mid-September.
The project is part of the DOW’s Water Plan 2020, a long-range plan that addresses the need to upgrade deteriorating and aging infrastructures on Kauai.
The water distribution system in the areas of Waipake, Kilauea and Kalihiwai include 12-inch pipes that connect the water supply source to Kilauea town and surrounding agricultural-open district, according to the DOW Water Plan 2020.
The blessing for the project will take place on Kolo Road in the vicinity of Kilauea School on Wednesday.
