Customer: Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Hawaii
Location: Halawa Pump Station, Pearl Harbor, HI

RMA performed as prime contractor for the $1.1M project to Replace the Motor Control Center at Halawa Pump Station, Pearl Harbor, HI. Dating back to 1944, the underground Halawa shaft is approximately 300 feet in length and is outfitted with two pipelines illuminated by special lighting for the conveyance of water from the facility. A 919 feet water development tunnel is carved out of solid lava rock and leads to the water source and back to the pumping room. Halawa’s three pumping units supply an average of 15 million gallons per day (mgd) of pure water (naturally filtered by the lava rock aquifer) to southeastern Oahu to meet the needs of approximately 100,000 people.

Scope of work consists of: demolition of main transformer bank, sawcutting and excavation, installation of duct bank pole, transformer concrete pad construction, bollard repair and installation, asphaltic concrete, electrical distribution reconfiguration and replacement (removal of outdated transformers and installation of new 3-phase padmounted 1000kVa transformer and 112.5kVa padmounted transformer, cable and conduit replacement, disconnect switches) replacement of booster pumps, Unitized Power Center, 480V Motor Control Center and associated control equipment, e.g. Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC).

The 210 LF tunnel was 7 feet tall with a 45 degree incline and limited head space. These characteristics posed unique logistical and safety challenges for conduit installation through the tunnel from the control room to pump room. An effective Site Specific Safety Program that includes a Level 5 SSHO ensured that work was accomplished with Zero Accidents.