Question: I live in Palm Villas in Ewa Beach. Periodically we have water main breaks, like on June 9, where they need to turn off the water for the units. We have had water off in the past for more than eight hours. My neighbors and I are wondering, Why doesn’t the Board of Water Supply bring us a water truck like they do in other neighborhoods?
Answer: It would, but the loss of water has to be tied to a BWS pipeline. If not, a water wagon can be rented.
When customers lose water service because of a BWS water emergency, the agency will provide an alternate water source, such as a water wagon or a spigot on a hydrant, until service can be restored, said BWS spokeswoman Tracy Burgo.
There was no break on a BWS pipeline that would have caused water loss to Palm Villas on June 9, but the Palm Villas property management company said a main break did occur on the property that day, Burgo said.
The agency can arrange to rent out one of its water wagon but does so with the understanding that it has the right to take it back if there is a BWS emergency. On June 9 no request was made for a water wagon rental, Burgo said.
Question: On May 31 I received an envelope with the return address of my son in Los Angeles. The left corner was torn off and the contents gone. It was in my mailbox with the rest of my mail. There was no explanation why this empty envelope was received the way it was. My husband took it to the Pearl City Post Office the next day and was told by the supervisor that someone would contact me. To date, I have not received a response, nor did my mail carrier explain the situation to me. What is the policy for something like this? If the post office does not want to help me, where can I go to report this theft?
Answer: The U.S. Postal Service apologized for the damaged envelope but could not determine what happened.
“We checked with the manager, supervisor and carrier for the address of the customer in question but were not able to determine the cause of the damage to the mail piece,” said USPS spokesman Duke Gonzales. Your mail carrier did not recall seeing the damaged envelope.
Gonzales explained previously that when a postal clerk or carrier notices obvious damage to mail, they usually will place the damaged piece in a plastic bag with a note explaining the likely cause.
“The fact that this piece contained no note from us indicates either that the damage was not noticed or that it occurred after delivery,” he said.
In cases involving damaged mail, or if customers suspect that their mail has been tampered with, the advice is to report it to the Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455, option No. 3.
If a customer chooses to visit a post office to log a complaint, Gonzales recommends submitting copies of relevant documents and to note dates, times and names of postal personnel contacted.
“This will help us in tracking and resolving customer concerns,” he said.
In your case, he said you did not get a call back because the Pearl City Post Office could not find an official record of the complaint.
Meanwhile, he said one factor that increases the chances of damaged envelopes is shipping bulky or irregularly shaped items in regular letter-class envelopes, which are processed on automated, high-speed machines.
“We encourage our customers to secure such items in bubble-wrap envelopes or other secure packaging,” Gonzales said.
MAHALO
To the Barefoot Beach Cafe for taking care of the public restrooms behind the restaurant in Waikiki. They are so clean and even smell fresh! This is great representation of the way Hawaii should take care of our visitor and local families. Maybe the city can arrange for bathroom care by more private business. We ALL know how scary the other public restrooms are!
— Steve Holck, Kailua
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Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
