Two condo complexes on the Big Island are still without running water seven weeks after the storm, leaving residents to cover basic needs themselves.

• A private water company's well was damaged and filled with debris during Hurricane Lala, and the pump, motor, and other equipment all need replacing.
• Residents have gone weeks without showers, dish washing, or working bathrooms, and paid out of pocket for portable toilets.
• If the well site turns out to be contaminated, repairs could take another three months.
• A permanent fix means drilling a new well — about two years and a $2 million investment.
• The county has now cleared access to drinking water from a fire hydrant, but residents say the water company itself has delivered nothing.

Outlook: Service may return within weeks if the well is clean, but real storm protection for the community is years away.