Posted on: Monday, July 3, 2000

Nanakuli water mains break By Karen Blakeman Advertiser Staff Writer Three water mains broke overnight Saturday in Nanakuli, leaving some residents without water yesterday and once again inhibiting traffic on Farrington Highway.

Two lanes of Farrington, one eastbound and one westbound, were closed throughout the day yesterday as crews repaired a 24-inch main near Nanaikeola Street. That main broke about 11:30 Saturday night.

"This has happened too many times," said Alfredo Alonzo, a driver who was inching his way along the single westbound lane through Nanakuli yesterday. His average speed was about 5 mph.

"Were mad," he said, speaking over the shoulder of his passenger.

"Everybodys frustrated," said Pat Kauahi, a Nanakuli resident who chose to wait out the traffic jam in the shade of a Pua Avenue lanai. "This just happened. Why dont they learn to fix it?"

Denise DeCosta, spokeswoman for the Board of Water Supply, said the 60-year-old main that tracks the old route of Farrington Highway and supplies water reservoirs along the Waianae Coast has broken several times this year between Honokai Hale and Nanakuli.

It broke on Memorial Day weekend in Nanakuli, bringing holiday traffic to a standstill.

The city plans to replace the pipes, DeCosta said. Construction is scheduled in stages, to begin in August between Barbers Point and Honokai Hale. The full project will take years, she said.

Two smaller water mains also broke early Sunday morning.

An 8-inch main on Farrington Highway near Auyong Homestead Road broke at 2:47 a.m., leaving six homes and two businesses without water until 9:10 a.m.

A second 8-inch main at the intersection of Nanakuli Avenue and Mano Avenue broke at 3:20 a.m. Sixteen homes were without water until 5:30 p.m.

Jeanine Ogata, who lost water service yesterday morning, said the repeated problems with water supply are wearing on residents.

"The people in this whole area - I think theyre all disgusted," she said.

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-- Doris (reaper1@mindspring.com), July 03, 2000