HILO — A Puna community will receive nearly $3 million in federal funding to improve its water system.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded $2.9 million to the Hawaiian Shores Community Association to replace the community’s aging water infrastructure, which serves approximately 445 homes.
“It’s wonderful,” said state Rep. Joy San Buenaventura, D-Puna. “We’re very glad for the money. There have been a lot of problems there in the past.”
The funding will be used to replace outdated equipment and infrastructure, much of which has not been replaced since the subdivision’s founding more than 40 years ago, said Puna Councilwoman Eileen O’Hara.
O’Hara, who was president of the Hawaiian Shores Community Association from 2011-16, began the lengthy grant application process for the project in 2011.
Cost analyses and engineering plans took three years to complete, O’Hara said. By the time a USDA official requested to survey the existing water system, the island was recovering from Tropical Storm Iselle in 2014.
Even after three years of work, however, the project barely got off the ground. O’Hara said she completed the final steps to the application process less than a day before the final deadline, while much of the area was still without power after the storm.
U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz were instrumental in getting the grant approved, O’Hara said.
“We’ve seen the devastating effects of failing to protect drinking water infrastructure in communities in Hawaii and across the country,” Gabbard said in a statement. “This investment to improve the water system in Puna is critical to safeguarding drinking water for hundreds of Hawaii Island families and helping to protect the health and well-being of our keiki and community.”
The USDA approved a $419,320 grant and a $513,000 long-term loan to the HSCA. In addition, the department’s Rural Development program will provide $1,978,000 in federal support to the community.
“The system is really old,” O’Hara said. “A lot of it was put in when the subdivision started in the early ’70s and it’s not arranged well.”
Water lines extend between properties instead of along streets and the roots of invasive albizia trees are a perennial threat to the system’s piping, O’Hara explained. Furthermore, the system’s holding tank is undersized for the community and nearly a decade out of date.
“It was meant to be replaced in 2008,” O’Hara said. “So we’re on borrowed time as it is. It hasn’t burst yet, but it is getting quite rusted.”
The current tank can hold 100,000 gallons, but requires 60,000 gallons to always be kept in reserve for emergency fire hydrant access, O’Hara said. This tank will be replaced with a 240,000 gallon tank that is intended to last 40 years.
In addition, the funds will cover new flush-out valves, booster pumps and replacements for some of the subdivision’s main water lines, O’Hara said.
Despite the current water system’s problems, O’Hara said the quality of Hawaiian Shores’ water remains pure.
“It’s been maintained well,” O’Hara said. “There isn’t any debris in the pipes and we’ve had no negative reports.”
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com
