Punaluʻu Water & Sanitation (PWS) Service Update
Story and Photo By Jessica Andrews
After enduring more than two months without water and sewer service, residents of Colony 1 at Sea Mountain and Kalana Golf Estates demanded action against Punaluʻu Water and Sanitation and its owner, Eva Liu.
At a Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission and Consumer Advocate meeting in Pāhala on Oct. 19, residents pressed for relief. The utility’s attorney, Colin Sakumoto, said reimbursement for portable toilets and non-potable water brought in by the Apartment Owners Association after Hurricane Lala hinges on PWS receiving federal disaster relief funds. Resident Don Barnett asked the PUC for “something besides excuses.”
“I’ve been paying fees for this water and it keeps going up, but the quality keeps going down,” Barnett said. “And at this point, we’re being told that they don’t have the money to do anything. That sounds like they’re going to do nothing, but … I don’t think Eva Liu has no money. She owns a lot of land around here and she owns PWS, so that feels like stealing.”
Sakumoto, appearing with Liu’s associate Nicole Conda, said restoring potable water depends on clearing the budget to bring out a drilling rig, with a cost estimate expected by Nov. 17.
In the meantime, only sewer services will be restored, Sakumoto said, adding that residents could haul water from non-potable tanks to flush toilets.
After hearing testimony from more than 20 residents, PUC Chair Jon Itomura said the commission could not yet answer questions regarding next steps.
“Updates will be posted in the docket,” Itomura said, referring to Docket No. 2025-0167. “It was important for us to come out here and meet with you face to face. The Consumer Advocate also made an effort to meet face to face.”
