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Question: I live in Kaimuki and was hoping to expand my driveway in the front of my house. The problem is there’s a water meter on the sidewalk right in the middle of where the expanded driveway would cross. I’ve consulted with an architect, who suggested that I could request for the Board of Water Supply to relocate the water meter. Will BWS do this? What does it involve? Who pays for it? How much does it cost?
Answer: Honolulu Board of Water Supply information officer Shawn Nakamoto was happy to supply general information about relocating a BWS water meter, while noting that the precise cost you pay and the logistics of the work will depend on your property.
Based on your construction plans, the water meter would need to be relocated so that it is completely outside the driveway. This is necessary in order to protect the concrete box the meter is in and to ensure the safety of BWS employees when they need to access the meter for maintenance, meter reading, checking for possible leaks, or to shut off water to the property, Nakamoto said.
You would be responsible for the relocation costs, she said, which generally range from about $800 to $3,500 depending on the size of the water meter and the distance it needs to be moved.
“We recommend that the customer make an appointment with our Service Engineering Section so we can obtain additional information about this property,” Nakamoto said. “Once we have an opportunity to review the customer’s plans, our staff will be able to provide guidance on the meter relocation and the actual cost.”
The Service Engineering Section can be reached at 748-5460.
Q: I missed a screening of that new education movie. Are there others?
A: Yes, if you are referring to the documentary “Most Likely to Succeed,” which has gained national acclaim for its provocative yet positive take on what U.S. schools must do differently to help students succeed in the 21st century. According to the film’s website, three free public screenings are scheduled in Honolulu during the next week or so.
First up is an event at Mid-Pacific Institute’s Bakken Auditorium on Friday; the 89-minute film starts at 5:15 p.m., followed by a half-hour panel discussion that ends at 7:30 p.m. The Education Institute of Hawaii hosts a screening and discussion on Wednesday starting at 6 p.m. in Moanalua High School’s library; Hawaii first lady Dawn Ige is scheduled to give welcoming remarks. On Oct. 2, the film is to screen in Kakaako, but the venue is posted as “sold out” already, so we won’t list the details here.
EIH Executive Director Darrel Galera urged “school leaders, teachers, parents, students, policymakers, community leaders and all stakeholders interested in public education” to see the movie.
You can read more about it at mltsfilm.org
Auwe
Oh my, where is the Aloha Spirit for residents as well as visitors at the Honolulu Airport? The wheelchair assistance we had requested in advance was not waiting as promised when we disembarked from San Francisco last month. Instead, concerned passengers helped my husband in and out of the Wiki-Wiki shuttle. Then, when we made it to the baggage area and out the door to a waiting taxi, we were charged for hand-carry luggage in addition to the taxi fare. Hawaii has lots to learn from the excellent service at airports in Reno, Nev., and San Francisco, where wheelchair assistance was waiting with a smile and there was no additional charge for baggage in addition to taxi fare.
Mahalo
Mahalo nui loa to all the individuals who assisted me during morning rush-hour traffic on Sept. 2, when due to car trouble I had to stop on the H-1 townbound shoulder. Guardian angels include a driver with emergency roadside service (sorry I didn’t get her name); Michelle, who stopped to help; and AAA, which towed the car. I will always remember their rapid responses. — A grateful senior
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