Gov. Linda Lingle has released $1,777,000 in construction funds for water system improvements at the Hawaii Army National Guard's Puunene Armory on Maui, Lingle's office said today.

Maui County's Department of Water Supply has notified the National Guard that water pressure currently available at the Puunene Armory will be reduced in the future. Existing water systems would be dysfunctional at the lower water pressure, making these improvements critical to the facility's ongoing operation.

Project improvements will include construction of a 250,000 gallon fire-flow storage tank and a 3,000 gallon water tank, the installation of water pumps, fire sprinkler pumps and iron water piping, as well as pipe chlorination, landscape irrigation and miscellaneous electrical work.