JBPHH 36-Inch Water Main Repaired
19 October 2022
From Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM –Joint Base officials report that the 36-inch water main break that occurred on Friday, Oct. 14 has been repaired. The repairs to the 20-foot section of the pipe were completed at approximately 2:45 a.m. on Oct. 19 by local contractors who employed a safe and innovative approach to the repairs. Crews worked around the clock since the water main broke Friday morning.
Base leadership is optimistic these repairs are an important step towards lifting the boil water advisory as early as this weekend. Several steps need to be taken to restore the system to its designed capacity, including the slow introduction of water back into the system to restore pressure and system health. After pressure is restored, additional sampling for bacteria will be conducted to verify the safety of the water. Those test samples will be sent to a state approved third-party local laboratory in Hawaii. These results are expected back in one to two days. The boil water advisory will only be lifted when those test results are negative.
“I want to thank our contracted partners, Dawson, Hawaiian Dredging and Coffman Engineering, who worked hand-in-hand with my Public Works Department,” said CAPT Mark Sohaney, Joint Base commander. “I would also like to thank the Board of Water Supply for their continued support and allowing the Navy to connect to their system.”
While water pressure is restored, family housing residents and other users of the Joint Base water system may see fluctuations in water pressure, sediment and a slight smell of chlorine, as well as have air pockets in their water. Residents may also see workers opening up fire hydrants that will help to equalize water pressure throughout the system.
Additional updates will be regularly posted to the Joint Base Facebook (www.facebook.com/jbphh) and on the web at Commander, Navy Region Hawaii > Installations > JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam > JBPHH Water Main Break Information