Residents and businesses in Kaunakakai and Kala'e are being urged to use water for health and safety purposes only while the county Department of Water Supply replaces a pump and motor at the Kualapu'u Well, the only county water source for the area.

Water levels at the Kaunakakai tank have fallen rapidly since the well was shut down Monday for repair work, the agency said. Customers may experience low water pressure or no water if storage levels continue to drop.

The water department said the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is supplying water to the county system while the well is out of service but cannot keep up with the additional demand.

The pump replacement project is scheduled to continue through July 10. In the meantime, water officials are trying to find ways to supplement the water supply until tank levels are stabilized.

Customers originally were asked to cut back water usage by 25 percent, but a higher level of conservation may be needed if demand continues to exceed supply, the department said.