Water Board waives service charges for customers impacted by Hurricane Lala
Nearly $265,000 in consumption and standby water charges were waived for the billing cycle of Aug. 6 to Sept. 22.
The Hawaiʻi County Department of Water Supply’s Water Board voted Tuesday to waive water service charges from Aug. 6 to Sept. 22 for customers in the Wai‘ohinu and Nā‘ālehu water system in the Ka‘ū District due to infrastructure damage caused by Hurricane Lala.
The board unanimously approved the department’s recommendation to waive $264,922.89 in water service charges for customers in the Wai’ōhinu-Nā’ālehu water system affected by the Aug. 15 storm.
This amount includes $169,708.08 in consumption charges and $95,214.81 in standby charges for that billing period.
Lala destroyed 27 homes and damaged many other houses, with Hawaiʻi County estimating $53 million in damages to its facilities and infrastructure, including 3,000 linear feet of water mains.
After Lala, some of the 1,200 customers in the system were cut off from water, while others lost their water meters or had to boil their water for safety for almost a month.
Because of the extensive damage and lack of accessibility, the department could not perform meter readings until Sept. 22.
The county department is currently working to repair two water lines: the Mountain House Springs and the Hāʻao-Wai’ōhinu Waterline.
The Mountain House Springs Waterline had two major washout areas identified approximately 4 1/2 miles above Wai’ōhinu. Access to both areas has been cleared, and replacement piping has been installed at the first washout, the county said.
Repairs are ongoing, with completion anticipated in approximately 45 days, weather permitting.
Replacement piping has been installed at the Hāʻao-Wai’ōhinu Waterline. Coordination for road repairs is ongoing. Completion is also anticipated in approximately 45 days, weather permitting.
