Department of Water Supply apologizes for unexpected water shutoff in Waiākea Uka area

The County of Hawaiʻi Department of Water Supply issued an apology to its customers and the general public for the unexpected water shutoff that affected the Waiakea Uka area of Hilo last Wednesday.

The unexpected water shut off affected the area from approximately Ainalako Road to Kupulau Road and occurred during a routine “cut and plug” of an existing water service lateral that no longer was in use.

According to the Department of Water Supply, during the routine work, which involved excavating a trench to access the water main, workers discovered that the service valve at the main was faulty. To avoid loss of water and potentially worse consequences, it was determined that the prudent action was to resolve the situation then and there.

This required closing several main line valves, which resulted in the unplanned water shutoff for customers. Typically, the department would issue a water shutoff notice for scheduled repairs, fixes and connections to the water system, however, it was not expected for the original work effort.

The Department of Water Supply apologizes to its customers for the impact and inconvenience this unexpected water shutoff may have caused. For any further questions or concerns, call (808) 961-8050 or email dws@hawaiidws.org.