Kokua Line: Why was tap water yellowed?

Questimate: On Tuesday, neighbors reported a yellow cast in their cold water. The Board of Water Supply’s explanation was that a fire hydrant on the corner of Dole Street and McCully Street was damaged. We live on Makiki Street. What is the interaction between a damaged hydrant and the drinking water system? Does this happen every time a fire hydrant is damaged? Is the water quality still acceptable in this case?

answers: Here are the answers to your questions from Honolulu Board of Water Supply spokeswoman Kathleen Elliott-Pahinui:

Q: What is the interaction between a damaged hydrant and the drinking water system?

A: “Here’s how a damaged hydrant in McCully can lead to discolored water in Makiki: The fire hydrant is on the same water system that supplies Makiki residents. Most water systems contain residual iron from the metal pipes used to distribute water. Iron debris in the pipe is usually held in place unless a disturbance in the water system triggers it. When the hydrant broke, it caused a disruption in the water system. The residue was then mixed with the water (resulting in yellowing) and distributed to customers via the same water system.”

Q: Does this happen every time a fire hydrant is damaged?

A: “Not that we are aware of it. The BWS is only informed about these types of incidents when they are reported by our customers.”

Q: Is the water quality still acceptable when this occurs?

A: In general, “iron does not affect a person’s health. However, it is better to flush property lines to remove discolored water from your faucets. The BWS advises customers who notice discoloration in their water to flush their house pipes as this usually fixes this problem. To flush out house pipes, run a faucet or hose for a few minutes to get rid of the discolored water. If the problem persists, customers may call the BWS 24-hour water emergency hotline at 808-748-5000, ext. 1, for further instructions or assistance. In this case, BWS staff received no callbacks from customers they had spoken to about the discolored water.”

Q: Suppose one member of a married couple crosses the Rainbow Bridge and the surviving spouse, in his grief, fails to notify election officials. And suppose the surviving spouse decides to fill out and mail back a fraudulent ballot. What systems are in place to prevent this?

A: Electoral offices are informed monthly of deaths in Hawaii; voters’ signatures are verified by computer or, where necessary, manually; and voter fraud is a criminal offense. Here is the response from Nedielyn Bueno, spokeswoman for the state elections office:

“County electoral departments receive notifications of death certificates from their respective county’s Department of Health. In addition, families can also contact the County Elections Division to file a voter registration deletion for their deceased family member. (See 808ne.ws/CED.)

“We wish to note that election officials follow the federal National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to maintain voter roll listings. Should a resident receive an election mailing, including a ballot-by-mail package, for a resident who no longer lives there or has passed away, we ask that the resident mark the item “Not at this address” and return it via USPS. The mailing is returned to the County Elections Division and the voter record is flagged. The County Elections Division will send another notification via forwardable mail allowing the voter to update their registration. If a voter does not update their registration after two general elections, they will be removed from the registers.

“Upon receipt of the ballot, the County Elections Division will compare the signature on the envelope with the signature on file. If it doesn’t match, the voter will be notified to correct it before their ballot can be counted.

“We would also like to point out that voter fraud is a Class C felony and every case should be reported to law enforcement.”

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email [email protected].