William Ailā Jr., the Hawaiian Homes Commission chair of Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, said the department recently broke ground on a County of Hawaii’s Department of Water Supply system in Kaʻū on May 13.
Phase 1 of the DHHL project will partially consist of the erection of a new 100,000-gallon water reservoir to serve locations near Pastoral homestead lots that were given to native Hawaiians during the mid-1980s. This was the result of a recommendation from a federal government task force.
“Partnerships with the county and other agencies are critical in the development of infrastructure for DHHL projects,” Ailā said May 13.
The first section of the project is being created by Isemoto Contracting Co., and the $2.7 million capital improvement project is financed by a 2020 fiscal year 2020 appropriation from the Hawaii State Legislature. Phases 2 and 3 of the Kaʻū water system project will consist of work on pressure regulating valves, new water meters and upgrades to South Point Road for homesteading opportunities to take place on later dates.
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands was started in 1921.
