The Department of Water Supply (DWS), County of Hawai‘i, advises our customers to plan for possible impacts to their water service should electrical power be disrupted or turned off pre-emptively as a fire-safety response to high winds and dry conditions impacting Hawai‘i Island through 6 p.m. tonight.
Hawaiian Electric (HE) announced Sunday, July 6 and updated this morning, that its Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) continues in a “watch” condition that MAY lead to the company proactively shutting off power in communities at high risk of wildfire https://www.hawaiianelectric.com/8-amupdate-power-remains-on-in-communities-with-high-exposure-to-wildfire-risk.
All DWS customers in areas that may be affected by a possible PSPS are asked to immediately reduce their water usage by 10 % so DWS can adjust our systems and resources in preparation for fire protection.
The Department of Water Supply relies on HE power to operate our wells and booster pumps to distribute water to our own customers. Our understanding is that a PSPS outage could last hours to days, depending on weather conditions, location and extent of damage. An extended power outage could diminish or deplete portions of DWS’ water systems and leave customers with low pressure or no water. If Hawaiian Electric implements a PSPS, DWS will likely need to restrict or ration potable water for fire protection, drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene purposes only. Car washing, irrigation, and other non-essential uses of water would need to be suspended until all power and water systems have been returned to normal conditions.
DWS uses backup electrical generators at a limited number of well sites, but these emergency generators CANNOT fully replicate HECO’s power grid. Therefore, DWS strongly urges our customers and those who depend on a continuous supply of DWS water to review their personal situation and prepare accordingly. Customers should have alternate sources of potable water and enough supply to meet their essential needs during a prolonged power outage that disrupts DWS service. Ways to safely store drinking water are listed in the Water Emergency Preparedness guide available online under the “Community” drop-down menu option on the Department’s website, www.hawaiidws.org.
Should they be needed, future water messages regarding weather conditions and their potential impact on DWS customers will be issued by DWS or the Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Agency. To reach the DWS, please call (808) 961-8050 during normal business hours, (808) 961-8790 for after-hour emergencies, or email: dws@hawaiidws.org.
This is your Hawai‘i County Department of Water Supply.