Traffic resumes on Alii Drive, water restored to businesses after main rupture

KAILUA-KONA — A burst water main flooded a section of Alii Drive near Waterfont Row Monday, requiring the county Department of Water Supply to close the road and excavate the pipe for repairs.

The break in the main also cut off water to several businesses on Alii Drive, causing some like Lava Java to close up shop for the day.

Robert Ravenscraft, DWS district supervisor in Kona, said the leak was reported at around 11:30 a.m., but the department wasn’t able to shut off the main’s water supply until sometime after 3 p.m.

“We have to leave the main running until excavation so nothing (contaminated) the pipe,” he explained.

A portion of Alii Drive was dug up and a section of the pipe was replaced. Ravenscraft said Tuesday the investigation showed the break in the bottom of the main was roughly two feet long and four inches wide.

Ravenscraft said the pressure around the break was about 125 PSI, or pounds per square inch. A leak specialist will analyze the amount of water that spilled out by factoring in the size of the break, the pressure and the amount of time the water flowed, which was roughly three and a half hours.

The number of gallons emitted from the main break should be specifically calculated later in the week.

Alii Drive is open to through traffic and running water has been restored to all businesses.

DWS supervisor Darren Okimoto told West Hawaii Today Monday that while a stressor could have played a factor in the break, it’s most likely cause was the old age of the pipe.