KALAHEO — The Kaua‘i Department of Water announced this week it’s undertaking a $21.7 million plan to replace water mains and storage tanks in Kalaheo.
The Kalaheo Water System Improvements Project will be the department’s largest ever undertaking, and is expected to last from late May 2023 into 2025, according to the department.
“Because the infrastructure is older, it’s time for a renewal,” said Jonell Kaohelauli‘i, Kaua‘i DOW information and education specialist. “So as far as impacting water service, we’re being proactive about that and fixing it before we get into the area where it could impact water services.”
The project will replace two water storage tanks amounting to about 700,000 total gallons, as well as 11,500 linear feet of water mainline. Additionally, the department plans to upgrade water meter service connections and fire protection facilities in the area, and conduct road paving work.
While Kaohelauli‘i said no issues currently threaten the Kalaheo community, the department wants to get ahead of any future problems that could arise from lack of maintenance.
“We’re being proactive about removing (and) replacing the underground infrastructure, as well as storage tanks, to provide a more resilient and dependable water service moving forward,” she said.
The project will be conducted in three phases along portions of Pu‘uwai and Kikala roads, as well as Po‘ohiwi Road.
Funding for the massive undertaking will come from three sources. A total of $10.2 million has been sourced from a state appropriations grant, $10.6 million will come from the state Department of Health’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, and the remaining $952,430 will come from the county DOW’s Water Utility Fund.
Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company successfully bid on the contract in May 2022, and was awarded the contract in June 2022, according to company Senior Estimator Rolland Badua. Kaohelauli‘i said project planning has been ongoing since early 2009.
Badua said work could begin once all necessary shipments arrive on-site.
“We know we have some short supply problems where the pipes would take a long time (to arrive) because of all these problems during the pandemic, and so we’re starting late because we can’t get the pipe yet,” he said.
Still, Badua expects the shipments to arrive in time to meet the department’s timeline, adding that the company was given 900 calendar days to complete the project once work begins.
Kaohelauli‘i said about 240 customers should anticipate intermittent water shutoffs during water main installations, although the phased nature of the project shouldn’t impact more than 50 service connections at a time.
“It’ll just be temporary water service shutoffs so we can reconnect lines,” she said. “Beyond that, there shouldn’t be any long-term impacts during construction.”
Additionally, the department said nearby residents should expect road and lane closures, noise, vibrations, dust and “other occurrences typical of a construction site.”
The department will issue notices through direct messaging to the service area using the county’s Wireless Emergency Notification Service, by mail and via door-to-door notices, to keep customers informed of the progress as it affects the community.
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Jackson Healy, reporter, can be reached at 808-647-4966 or jhealy@thegardenisland.com.
