The Kauai‘i County Water Department will schedule a water outage in Puhi and parts of Lihu‘e from 9 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday to allow connection of a newly installed water line as part of the Kaumuali‘i Highway widening
The Kauai‘i County Water Department will schedule a water outage in Puhi and parts of Lihu‘e from 9 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday to allow connection of a newly installed water line as part of the Kaumuali‘i Highway widening project, county officials reported Monday.
Customers in those areas will experience no water pressure or low water pressure while Kiewit Infrastructure West Co., which has been contracted by the state Department of Transportation, connects the new line to the existing water system.
The areas that will have no water service in Puhi are the Komohana Subdivision (Anonui Street and all streets with access from or through Anonui Street) and customers along Kaumuali‘i Highway west of Puhi Road. All other areas in Puhi will have low water pressure, the county reported.
Areas in Lihu‘e that will have low water pressure are the Village West Industrial Subdivision, Kaneka Street, Nuhou Street between Kaumuali‘i Highway and Ulu Maika Street, as well as portions of Phase 1 of the Pikake Subdivision, including Kohonua‘ula Place and portions of Kauila Street, the county reported.
A detailed map of all the affected streets can be viewed online at www.kauaiwater.org.
After the connection is completed, customers are advised to open an outside hose bib and check if their water is clean. If dirty water is visible, they should flush water through the hose bib until the water is clean before opening any faucet inside their house or business, the county states in a news release.
It is possible that sediment in the water line may have been disturbed, creating a need for the line to be flushed.
Affected customers who think they might have a faulty water heater should ensure that their water heaters do not empty during the outage and store enough water to meet their needs during the outage.
When the water main is turned back on after the connection is completed, it is possible that air will be mixed into the water. If this happens, the water will appear white or milky in color. The air in the water will dissipate after a while and should not be a cause for alarm.
The Water Department will provide a portable water tank in the Komohana Subdivision along Anonui Street for customers who run out of water during the shutdown. Customers will need to bring their own water containers.
Residents are also asked to notify relatives, friends and neighbors that might be affected by the outage.
Motorists should exercise caution when driving through the affected area, the county states.
Affected customers that have listed phone numbers or have registered for the county’s Blackboard Connect CTY notification service will be contacted through Connect CTY about the outage. Those who have not signed up for the free notification service can visit the county website at www.kauai.gov for more information.
For more information about the outage, call the county Water Department at 245-5461 between 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
