PUNALU’U, Hawaii (Island News) — “This is the first time I’ve had a hot shower on the Big Island in six weeks,” said Kevin Reiss, a Punaluʻu resident.

For Reiss, that shower was a reminder of just how long this has gone on.

“I’ll never take hot water, showerhead, things like that for granted ever again. And it felt like I was at the Ritz-Carlton, literally,” said Reiss.

Other residents have the same experience

“I was literally bathing in the gutter,” said Jeff Silva, another Punalu’u resident.

Seven weeks after hurricane lala damaged a private water system in Punalu’u, two condominiums and residents are still without running water.


Showering isn’t the only issue; washing dishes or using a normal bathroom has been nonexistent.

“It’s just a nightmare,” said Reiss.

7 weeks later, two condos and residents are still without water.

“From what I understand, the private water company’s well was damaged through Lala. All the debris went in it, and it’s severely damaged. So it’s going to take a while to fix it,” said Hawaii Island Mayor Kimo Alameda.

The water company says the pump, motor, and other equipment need to be replaced.

“Our potable water operator says that if the well site was contaminated, depending on how severely it was contaminated, it could take up to an additional three months just so that the well site can be properly chlorinated,” said Colin Sakumoto, Attorney for Punalu’u Water and Sanitation

And a long-term fix could take even longer.

“If you want storm protection, you’re going to need a developer willing to come in and drill a new well site. And that again, we’re talking on average at least two years, and at least an investment of $2 million,” said Sakumoto.

For now, the water company says it has set up a water hauler, but the company’s attorney says access to county water has been an issue.

“We have a potable water tank set up, a 3,000-gallon potable water tank, and we have a water hauler set up to fill up the tank. The problem is the county will not provide access to their potable water sites,” said Sakumoto.

The county says it has now approved access to drinking water from a county fire hydrant.

“We’ve been working with the homeowners as well as the attorney for the water company, and just this past Friday, we confirmed whatever we needed from them to go ahead and allow them to use our fire hydrant for drinking water,” said Alameda.

Residents say the county has been responsive, but the water company has not.

“PWS has provided no water. PWS has never shown up with even a bottle of water. One bottle, never, not once, not a single bottle of water, said Silva.

Leaving the community on its own.

“The community has been supporting itself essentially,” said Silva.

Residents say they’ve also been paying out of pocket to get by.

“We have provided all the porta-potties. We ordered them. We paid for them. These are the things that a utility normally would provide to their customers who have been paying them, and we’re at seven weeks,” said Silva.

Many say the system should have been better prepared.

“I have spoken directly to the owner of PWS and recommended things like an emergency response plan, backup well, redundancies,” said Silva.

For now, residents are trying to stay hopeful.

“I’m hopeful that this water situation and many other things will be resolved,” said Reiss.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission is also reviewing the situation.

A public meeting is scheduled for October 18th at the Pāhala Community Center.

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