For more than a month, a steady trickle of water has been flowing from the Diamond Head Health Center into the gutter on Pōkole Street. Grass and moss have sprouted there, and birds flock to the stream for a drink.

Neighbors first noticed the water leaking into the street around the clock in early July. Sometimes the water reaches a driveway about 400 feet away.

It’s not just a nuisance. The free-flowing water also costs taxpayers, as it drives up the state-run facility’s water bill. 

The office in charge of repairing state buildings says the repair process is finally underway, but a spokesperson for the Department of Accounting and General Services, Diane Ako, could not say when those repairs would be complete. Neighbors say it’s also taken far too long for the problem to be addressed in the first place.

Typically, when community members report a water leak, the Board of Water Supply starts by figuring out whether the county or the property owner is responsible for fixing it. If it’s on the county side of the water meter, the water board takes charge. But if the leak is on the property owner’s side, the board will contact the owner to let them know they’ve got a problem.

People usually want to fix the problem quickly because water leaks cost money. Officials at the Board of Water Supply did not answer questions about when they learned about this leak.

Although the water has been visible for weeks, staff at the Diamond Head Health Center — which is operated by the state Department of Health — first reported the leak on Aug. 1 to the Department of Accounting and General Services.

By Aug. 7, contractors had diagnosed the issue: a malfunctioning hot water heater and a bad sensor on the air conditioning system.

Contractors have been mobilized to do the repairs, Department of Health spokesperson Adam LeFebvre said. 

But LeFebvre also could not provide an estimated timeline for when the leak will be fixed.

Who Is Responsible?  

The Central Services Division at the Department of Accounting and General Services is in charge of maintenance and repair at state buildings.

James Kurata is the division’s administrator, and his office can be reached 808-831-6733.

Fix It!

Fix It! is a reader-driven column focused on solving everyday obstacles — the inoperable and the inefficient amenity, the mundane and major facility fail that escapes the attention of government agencies, but affects our quality of life.

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