Spending panel meets

The panel that oversees spending of federal economic stimulus money is set to discuss how dollars for health care and parks have been spent.

The Legislative Federal Economic Stimulus Program Oversight Commission will convene at 10 a.m. today at the state Capitol.

Forum to discuss sewer line routes

The city is holding a public information meeting tonight on proposals to run sewer lines from Kaneohe to Kailua, one to run under Kaneohe Bay and another to run under Oneawa Hills.

The two leading possible routes for a proposed sewer system upgrade will supplement an existing force main that brings sewage from the Kaneohe Wastewater Pre-Treatment Plant near Bayview Golf Course to the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant in Aikahi.

One option — to run a 36-inch plastic force main 2.9 miles and 25 feet below the sea floor of Kaneohe Bay — has raised concerns of possible leaks into the ocean.

A second option proposes a 13-foot-wide concrete tunnel, 3 miles long and 45 feet underground, running under Oneawa Hills.

A third route would follow the H-3 freeway.

The city must replace the existing 3.1-mile, 42-inch concrete main that runs along Kaneohe Bay Drive by 2014 under a 1995 federal consent decree.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Benjamin Parker Elementary School cafeteria, 45-259 Waikalua Road. Deadline for comments is Oct. 12.

12 evacuated after gas line punctured

Twelve people were evacuated briefly from their Kapahulu homes yesterday after a construction crew broke a gas line on a home on Makini Street.

Capt. Terry Seelig, Fire Department spokesman, said a worker operating a Bobcat on a home-renovation project hit a gas supply line just after 9 a.m. on the driveway to 3041 Makini St.

Five homes on Makini Street between Campbell and Kanaina avenues were evacuated for about 10 minutes until the gas line was secured. Makini Street also was closed for about 30 minutes.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Water bills on Big Isle could drop

HILO » Water customers on the Big Island may be seeing their bills go down.

The Hawaii County Board of Water Supply is to consider a proposal to adjust its power cost charge downward.

The power cost charge fluctuates depending on how much it costs to operate the water system on the Big Island.

The current power cost charge is $1.91 per 1,000 gallons.

West Hawaii Today is quoting Water Supply Manager Milton Pavao as saying the proposed new charge is $1.66 per 1,000 gallons.

The board is set to consider changing the power cost charge at a Tuesday morning hearing at the Operations Center in Hilo. Its regular September meeting will follow.