Just two months after the Kona low storms, another potential disaster is playing out on the rural southwest side of Hawaiʻi island. But this time, instead of too much water, farmers and other rural residents suddenly don’t have enough.Saturday’s 6.0 magnitude earthquake crushed and burst water catchment systems — large wooden and metal tanks that hold the rainwater pumped into homes and farm irrigation systems. The county provides very little water to the predominantly agricultural region and Corey Yeaton, owner of Pacific Blue Catchment, estimated that as many as 500 people could be without water. KayLynne and Roy Santana, who grow coffee and macadamia nuts in Hōnaunau, got up to survey the quake’s damage shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday to discover one water tank collapsed and the other emptied out completely. Since then, the farmers have been driving back and forth to a nearby public spigot, a free source of potable water provided by the Hawaiʻi County Department of Water Supply.
“We have little 5-gallon jugs right now, and we’ve just been going to the Yano Hall spigot and bringing it home to flush the toilets, and do little spit baths in the tub,” KayLynne Santana said.
Officials are still taking stock of the full extent of the damage. Farmers and other residents will slowly rebuild, but it could be months before they see any financial relief.The timing could be worse, as the quake came in the middle of the region’s rainy season. The Santanas have been capturing the rain that has fallen since Saturday morning in a pair of 55-gallon trash cans. They’re not worried about their crops yet, but they will need to start irrigating soon if there’s a significant break in the rain.
