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For Immediate Release
June 25, 2021

Update on Repairs to the Board of Water Supply Moanalua 42” Main

HONOLULU – The Board of Water Supply (BWS) continues to work on repairs to the 42” main along the Moanalua Freeway. A company specializing in marine welding has been contracted to do the repair from the inside of the pipe. Today, they will be on-site prepping the pipe to start the repair on Saturday, June 26.

The pipe will be slowly refilled, and welds and the pipe will be watched for any other leaks as pressure is increased. Then the pipe will be flushed and the water quality will be tested. If it passes the tests, the pipe will be put back into service. The testing will take about 18 hours.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the BWS anticipates having the repair and water quality test completed with the pipe back in service sometime next week.  BWS will also be doing repairs to the damaged concrete jacket around the 42-inch water main using jet grouting.  Once that is completed, BWS will work on filling the excavation and repair the freeway to State of Hawaii Dept of Transportation (DOT) requirements.  We hope to have this work completed sometime in July.

The BWS continues to work closely with the DOT, the City and County Dept of Transportation Services (DTS) on traffic mitigation efforts. As of today, with the 3-lanes open during the daylight hours, traffic has been flowing well. Surface streets continue to be monitored and traffic lights adjusted as needed to optimize traffic flow.

Current traffic plan that will remain in place:

  • The far-right west-bound lane of H-201 West Moanalua Fwy. from Middle St. to the Fort Shafter/Kaua St. on-ramp is closed for the duration of the repair.
  • The Fort Shafter/Ahua St. off-ramp from H-201 will remain closed for the duration of the repair.
  • One additional west-bound lane of H-201 Moanalua Fwy. may be closed from 8:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m., if necessary, allowing a total of two open west-bound lanes.
  • The Fort Shafter on-ramp from Kaua St. to H-201 has been reopened.
  • Motorists are advised to avoid the area by using Nimitz Hwy. or the Airport Viaduct as an alternate travel route.

For questions, please call Kathleen Pahinui at (808) 748-5319.

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Contact:

Kathleen Elliott-Pahiinui
Information Officer
Honolulu Board of Water Supply
(808) 748-5319