Emergency water restrictions for residents affected by lava flow

MEDIA RELEASE

AFFECTED AREAS: KAPOHO BEACH LOTS, LANIPUNA GARDENS, POHOIKI BAY ESTATES, GREEN LAKE FARM LOTS, VACATIONLAND, AND ALL CUSTOMERS ON POHOIKI AND KALAPANA KAPOHO BEACH ROADS

This is a Department of Water Supply (DWS) message for Tuesday, May 8, 2018.

Monday afternoon (May 7), DWS completed the installation of a temporary bypass waterline to restore service to the affected area. However, refilling of waterlines and tanks will take some time.

Therefore, the Emergency Water Restriction is still in effect for Kapoho Beach Lots, Lanipuna Gardens, Pohoiki Bay Estates, Green Lake Farm Lots, Vacationland and all customers on Pohoiki and Kalapana Kapoho Beach Roads. ALL Water Supply customers should restrict water use to health and safety needs (drinking, cooking, and hygiene purposes) only.

This will allow the refilling process to occur sooner. It is important for not just the waterlines, but for the tanks to be refilled in order to provide fire protection. In the meantime, please check your property for leaks that may have been caused by the earthquake on May 4th.

Water spigots installed near the entrance of Lava Tree State Park and a water tanker in Vacationland are still available for the public to access.

DWS urges lower Puna residents to prepare an emergency kit with at least one gallon of water per day per person and each pet, for drinking and sanitation purposes. Residents should anticipate prolonged periods of preparation due to the unpredictable nature of the situation. To properly store water, you should:

  • Use clean containers. Do not use containers that stored food with strong odors (mayonnaise, pickles, etc.) as the water will pick up the odor during storage.
  • Disinfect containers. Wash and rinse containers thoroughly with a mild bleach solution (one capful of liquid bleach to one gallon of water).
  • Fill container with water from the tap. Fill the container to the top, keeping a minimal amount of air between the water and the cap. Store it in a cool, dark place.
  • Optional – boiling or bleach disinfection. If you prefer, you can boil water before storing it. You should boil the water for at least three minutes and let it cool down until it is slightly warm. Fill the containers, and then seal and store immediately. Liquid bleach may also be used to disinfect water that has not been boiled. Add one drop of bleach per gallon of water, and seal and store immediately.

DWS is actively monitoring the situation, and is coordinating our emergency response plan with the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense: www.hawaiicounty.gov/civil-defense.

Find further information at:

Hawaii State Civil Defense: http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts/ Hawaii State Department of Health: http://health.hawaii.gov/sdwb/files/2014/08/DrinkWaterFAQinEmergency.pdf Department of Homeland Security: http://www.ready.gov/water U.S. EPA website: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/emergency- disinfection-drinking-water

For additional information or concerns, call 961-8050 during normal business hours, 961-8790 for after-hour emergencies, or email: dws@hawaiidws.org.

Updated information will be forthcoming as it becomes available.

This is your Hawai’i County Department of Water Supply.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

 

Quantcast