Board of Water Supply repair work on a 24-inch main on Farrington Highway near Honokai Hale in Leeward O'ahu is expected to continue overnight.

The break, reported yesterday shortly before 3 p.m., is on the underside of a concrete-layered main buried 12 feet down on the median of the highway, said Tracy Burgo of the BWS communications office. Crews dug down to the main this afternoon and discovered further excavation was required because the damage is on the underside, Burgo said.

For safety, shoring has to be installed before repair crews can enter into the trench to assess pipeline damage, Burgo said.

The work is not affecting the two lanes of Wai'anae-bound traffic. One of two town-bound lanes, however, is closed.

BWS is asking Leeward Coast residents from Honokai Hale to Makaha to conserve water through Saturday morning. Once repairs are made, the system will need time to recover and get back to normal, Burgo said.