The Hawaii County Department of Water Supply is still investigating the cause of electrical problems at a Honaunau well that are forcing the department to draw from a saltier well in the area.
High amperage readings at Keei Well D last week caused the department to activate Well C on a sporadic basis, said Keith Okamoto, deputy director of the DWS. Well C contains salt levels in the range of 34 milligrams per liter. While that level doesn’t pose a general health threat, it did prompt the county to issue a notice about the higher levels to those on sodium-restricted diets. By comparison, Well D salinity is 13 milligrams per liter.
The salt could comprise a significant portion of daily intake for those on sodium restricted diets. The DWS is encouraging customers being treated for sodium-sensitive hypertension to consult their doctors about the higher levels in the supplemental water coming from Well C.
Safety features at Well D cause the pump to trip offline during the periods of high amperage readings, Okamoto said. He did not have an estimate on when the problem would be fixed.
The South Kona Water Systems where the Keei wells are located serve about 6,600 residents from Captain Cook to Hookena.
Residents can track the quality of their water through a website maintained by the DWS. Water quality reports at two dozen sources around the island can be found at hawaiidws.org/7%20the%20water/ccrpage.htm.