(BIVN) – A Water Restriction Notice was issued Friday for customers from Āhualoa to Pōhākea in the Hāmākua district of Hawaiʻi island.
The Hawaiʻi County Department of Water Supply is asking customers in the affected area to reduce water use by at least 25 percent.
The affected area includes Kahana Drive east of Kalehua Road, Kalehua Road, Pa‘auilo Mauka Road between Kalōpā Mauka Road and Pōhākea Road, and all side roads and adjacent areas.
“A water restriction is necessary due to high water usage that is exceeding the water storage tank capacities,” water supply officials said. The department says it “plans to continue hauling water to refill the water tanks, and customers are asked to restrict their use to allow the tanks to be refilled.”
The area under the Water Restriction is in an area that remains under drought conditions, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map.
“Wetter-than-normal weather occurred recently in windward slopes of parts of Hawaii, leading to improvements in areas of increased streamflow and lessened precipitation deficits, especially in northeast parts of the Big Island,” the Drought Monitor wrote on November 20. However, the Hāmākua district remains under D2 Severe Drought, with Maunakea under D3 Extreme Drought conditions.
