Updated at 1:56 p.m., Monday, February 12, 2007
'Less obtrusive' sewer work starts in Niu Valley
Advertiser Staff
City sewer work began today along Kalaniana'ole Highway from Kawaiku'i Beach Park to the Niu Valley Wastewater Pump Station next to the Niu Valley Shopping Center.The city is using a newer, less obtrusive method to reduce the impact on the community, said spokesman Ken Kawahara. "Horizontal directional drilling" involves drilling, boring a tunnel and pulling a new pipe underground rather than digging open trenches, which would disrupt traffic extensively.
Once the new pipe is installed and operational, the city can remove the temporary pipe on the Kalaniana'ole median that was installed in 2005 after the existing underground sewer pipe broke repeatedly.
The pipe-pulling is expected to take under 72 hours and is not expected to close any lanes on the highway. The city said crews will pull about 3,300 feet of 16-inch, high-density polyethylene sewer pipe through a tunnel under the highway.
The pipe-pulling work will be done around the clock because delays could cause the lubricating material in the tunnel to harden and make starting again difficult, if not impossible, Kawahara said.
A noise waiver has been obtained from the state Department of Health for the overnight work, and nearby residents and businesses were notified, city officials said.
