School is back in session today at three Hilo public schools that were closed Tuesday due to a shortage of water on campus.
“We have received confirmation from the Department of Water Supply that the issue has been repaired and addressed. After checking conditions on campus, we are confident that it is safe to reopen,” Hilo High School Principal Adrian De Mello said in a Tuesday letter to parents and students.
De Mello wrote that Hilo Intermediate and Hilo Union Elementary also will reopen today.
About 2,550 students and employees of the three public schools on Waianuenue Avenue in Hilo were affected by the Tuesday closure, according to the state Department of Education. That includes about 1,180 students and 200 employees at Hilo High, about 540 students and 100 employees at Hilo Intermediate and about 440 students and 90 employees at Hilo Union.
The water shortage was caused by a pump malfunction and exacerbated by an alarm malfunction.
According to Kawika Uyehara, DWS deputy, a mechanism to activate the department’s Piihonua wells didn’t work property, which caused Piihonua No. 3 tank, near Carvalho Park, to go empty either Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
“And the alarm to alert DWS of low water levels in the tank did not work properly. Both pieces of equipment have been checked and addressed,” Uyehara told the Tribune-Herald.
Uyehara said that as of noon Tuesday, the million-gallon tank was more than half-full.
“It normally takes about seven to eight hours to fill the 1 million gallons with one of the Piihonua wells pumping into the Piihonua No. 3 tank,” Uyehara explained. “However, DWS staff redirected water from other portions of the Hilo water system to expedite the refilling of the Piihonua No. 3 tank.”
The empty water tank also prompted DWS to institute a water restriction notice Tuesday morning instructing downtown Hilo water customers to reduce their water usage by 25% until further notice. It was unclear late Tuesday whether that restriction would remain in effect.
DOE spokeswoman Nanea Ching said the goal of the department “is always to keep schools open and students learning whenever it is safe to do so.”
“Decisions to close campuses are made in coordination with complex area and school leadership along with department senior leadership, based on the specific circumstances and safety considerations,” Ching said. “In this case, the closure decision was made due to insufficient water service to safely operate the campuses.”
The schools relayed the word of closure Tuesday morning via their websites and social media pages, and the DOE disseminated press releases to inform the public about the school closures.
“Schools worked to notify families as quickly as possible once the closure decision was made,” Ching said. “School staff assisted any students who may have arrived on campus to ensure they were safe and supervised while arrangements were made.
“School leadership notified staff and families through various means including social media, email, mass-message and in person for those already on campus. All three schools had staff posted at drop-off locations to notify families as they arrived.”
Ching said school employees also worked “to contact families of those already on campus to coordinate pick-up or drop-off via bus transportation.”
Both the DOE and DWS issued apologies. The DOE said its officials “understand the disruption emergency closures cause for families and appreciate the community’s patience as we prioritize the safety of students and staff.”
The DWS said it was apologizing “for the inconvenience and impacts to its customers, Department of Education, schools, students and families due to this situation.”
Email John Burnett at john.burnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
