Water Restriction Notice Issued for Laupāhoehoe Water System

Residents and businesses in the Laupāhoehoe area in East Hawai‘i are being asked to reduce their water usage.

The county Department of Water Supply on Thursday, Feb. 10, issued an immediate water restriction request for the Laupāhoehoe water system until further notice.

According to a news release, because of equipment malfunctions, DWS will need to haul all drinking water to meet customer water needs. Thus, residents and businesses who use the Laupāhoehoe water system are asked to reduce their water use by 25% to ensure everyone’s water needs are met.

“Our wells there are currently offline, and we will be hauling water to the area while DWS crews work to get them back up,” said Janet Snyder, an information and education specialist with the Department of Water Supply, in an email to Big Island Now.

Updates will be issued as necessary and can be viewed online.

Performing the following steps will help conserve water by 25%:

• Wash only full loads of laundry and dishes.
• Check faucets and pipes for leaks.
• Do not let water run when washing hands, shaving and brushing teeth.
• Reduce showering times.
• Use water-saving devices when possible.
• Use a broom instead of a water hose when gathering leaves and grass clippings.

Additional ways to conserve water can be found on the DWS website.

For questions or concerns, call 808-961-8050 during normal business hours, 808-961-8790 for after-hour emergencies or email dws@hawaiidws.org.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding,” the DWS news release said.