Since 2018, water service at the Hāpuna State recreation area has been off and on more than three-dozen times due to a large number of repeated breaks in its underground lines. The DLNR Division of State Parks (DSP) is currently working on a long-term fix rather than the short-term fixes it employed over the past few years.
DSP brings water into the park, from a Hawai‘i County line, for restrooms, showers, and drinking. At the park’s entrance, orange fencing surrounds a crumbling two-foot-wide hole in the asphalt. In a press release DSP Hawai‘i District Superintendent Arnado explained, “We isolated this leak at the top of the park and the hole was the first sign. You can’t see a leaky pipe at this location, so water migrated from a broken or compromised pipe somewhere nearby. The decision was made, that after spending a lot of time and money trying to remedy chronic leaks, we needed to look at a more feasible option.”
A short-term fix involves running water lines on the ground to provide water at two sets of restrooms on the beach and showers there. This solution has some challenges, including protecting the pipe during high surf.
The short-term fix is expected to be in place within a few months. DSP is also evaluating additional quick fixes to the existing system, but with no assurances of how long that will last.
The longer-term, much costlier fix is predicted not to be finished at least until the end of 2024. Engineering studies have begun, and DSP is making sure the final design of a new system, fully analyzes what caused repeated failures of the current system, installed in 2009. The legislature has allocated approximately $3 million to reconstruction the entire system. Those funds were released last year.
Arnado added, “Engineers need to determine the mode of the waterline failure, remedies, and types of piping. We have to look at everything, so it doesn’t continue happening. Then we’ll get a rough cost estimate and begin the required procurement process which includes the results of the investigation, bid document preparation, contractor solicitations, and hopefully construction beginning in about a year.” The process includes many checks and balances, including ensuring it is compliant with Hawai‘i Dept. of Health regulations.
DLNR Photo