Kokua Line
By June Watanabe
Friday, November 20, 1998
Kokua Line
Who is responsible for watering the lawn near the GE Supply Building (across from GASPRO) on Kamehameha Highway, as well as the area in the Marukai block, near the bus stop, during the day? It doesn't make sense to waste precious water by watering during the peak daytime hours! It is also very dangerous because many senior citizens walk by there to go to and from Marukai. I would hate to see someone get hurt either by a vehicle while trying to avoid getting wet or just by slipping. Whoever is doing this should pick a better time -- like close to sunset. BWS has tips, not rules
on when to water lawnsWe passed on your complaint to the Board of Water Supply, which oversees water usage on the island.
The BWS does have a hotline, 527-6126, to report suspected water waste. But there are no regulations regarding the time of day to water -- "just advice," said BWS spokeswoman Denise DeCosta.
She said F.T. Opperman Co. is responsible for watering near the first building, while Marukai maintains the area in front of its building, although it doesn't own it.
Both companies were puzzled by your complaint, DeCosta said.
A spokesman for the Opperman company said sprinklers are turned on between midnight and 4 a.m., running on four cycles, she said. "They are usually done by 4 a.m."
However, there was some maintenance work on the sprinklers a few weeks ago, which could have accounted for your concern, she said.
"We asked if they could reduce watering time and the property manager said he would talk to his landscaper about it," DeCosta said.
She said a Marukai spokesman said its sprinklers go on about 6 a.m. and are not on at mid-day. When told of your complaint, the spokesman "himself went down to the bus stop about 2:30 that day and everything was dry."
"Our general advice to consumers regarding midday watering is that it really doesn't do as much good for the plants or landscape as when they water earlier in the day, when it's cool and when plants use the most water," DeCosta said.
"What happens in the middle of the day is that the tips of the grass burn," she added. "When you see places being watered heavily midday, those areas seem to get browner and browner because they're soaking up the heat."
Can the city acquire that empty lot, one space in from the corner of Ocean View Drive and Pahoa Avenue, for the fire department? If they don't need it yet, could it just be a grassy minipark? I hate to see someone build on that lot when it so obviously should be part of the fire station or a park.
It's a matter of money, or lack of it. There are no plans to acquire that private lot, especially in these tight economic times.
The city earlier did buy adjacent property to expand the station, said Edward Yee, administrative officer for the Honolulu Fire Department. The station doesn't need any more space, he said.
As you face the station, the space to the right belongs to the city Parks Department.
Beware of this scam: At 5:40 one morning, a man called, saying he was from Visa and that there was a fraudulent charge against my account. He demanded my card number. I asked him who he was and he said, "Why are you asking?" He got very rude and said he needed to have the number. I just hung up on him. -- M.C. Auwe
To the man who helped me untangle my car from the chain at Ala Moana Center and to the other man who also helped. I was so embarrassed, I didn't get their names. -- C.Y. Mahalo
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com
