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DEC 10, 2021

BWS Statement on Navy Water System

The Board of Water Supply (BWS) continues to monitor the situation the Navy is presently experiencing with their water distribution system. The BWS water distribution system is entirely separate from the Navy water distribution system. BWS has no jurisdiction over the Navy system and is not directly involved in the DOH/Navy investigation and response.

Over the last week, the Navy informed the BWS that two Navy water sources – Red Hill Shaft and Aiea-Halawa Shaft – were contaminated. As a precaution, and to prevent contamination of its own sources, the BWS stopped pumping three of its own wells – Halawa Shaft, Aiea Well, and Halawa Well.

The BWS conducts regular testing on our water sources to ensure compliance with all federal and state drinking water standards. The most recent tests of each of these sources (October 2021) showed no presence of fuel constituents in the water. And we just received tests for Halawa Shaft late Thursday, December 9 and have posted the results to our website. Click on the Red Hill button on the homepage to access the full report.

To ensure the continued integrity of these sources, we are testing weekly and will provide these results on our website as they come available.

While we have stopped pumping from these three sources, we have other water sources that we are drawing on to make up for the closures.

We will closely monitor water usage and if consumption increases over pumpage, we will ask for voluntary conservation and if necessary, mandatory conservation. At this time, we ask everyone, as always to use water wisely and follow conservation tips as posted on our website at boardofwatersupply.com.

Please call us at (808) 748- 5041 if you have any questions.

DEC 8, 2021

BWS Statement on Navy Water System

HONOLULU – The Board of Water Supply (BWS) was informed late this afternoon about contamination at the Navyʻs Aiea-Halawa Shaft. Immediately after being alerted, the BWS took precautionary measures and shut down their Aiea Well and Halawa Well. On Thursday, December 2, 2021, the BWS shut down one of their primary sources, Halawa Shaft after being informed of contamination at the Navyʻs Red Hill Shaft.

“This situation is not acceptable and our system to our residents is now being put under more stress.” stated Manager and Chief Engineer Ernest Lau. “I am deeply troubled and we have requested all pumpage and test data from the Dept of Health on the Red Hill Shaft and the Aiea-Halawa Shaft. We need to have this data in order to make solid and informed decisions regarding our system so we can continue to service our customers.”

BWS had just taken samples earlier this week from the Aiea Well and Halawa Well and sent them to a mainland test lab. Results are expected late next week.

Test results for the Halawa Shaft are still on track to be available to the public end of this week. The BWS will post more information shortly.

For more information, please call (808) 748-5041 or send an email to contactus@hbws.org.

DEC 7, 2021

BWS Statement on Navy Water System

The Board of Water Supply (BWS) applauds the decision of the Department of Health to issue an Emergency Order requiring the Navy to immediately suspend fuel storage operations at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, expeditiously install a drinking water treatment system at the Navy’s Red Hill Shaft drinking water well, and promptly take action to defuel the Red Hill underground storage tanks.

navy water system navy doh contactsImmediate actions are necessary to protect the thousands of residents who rely on the water supplied by the Navy’s water distribution system and, ultimately, the nearly one million people on Oahu who rely on the sole-source aquifer that underlies Red Hill.

Based on the historic performance of the Navy’s operation of the Red Hill facility, the BWS has long called for the relocation of the Red Hill tanks away from Oahu’s irreplaceable drinking water resources and the Emergency Order is an important first step.

Going forward, it will be critical to monitor the actions taken in response to this order to ensure that the fuel at Red Hill is safely removed and that refueling the existing tanks is not allowed as it is irrefutable that the Red Hill facility cannot be operated in a way that is protective of human health and the environment as is required by state law. Relocating the Red Hill tanks is the only way to protect the purity of our drinking water for present and future generations.

If there are any questions, please call (808) 748-5041 or email contactus@hbws.org.

DEC 3, 2021

BWS Statement on Navy Water System

The Board of Water Supply (BWS) is closely monitoring the situation the Navy is presently experiencing with their water distribution system. The BWS water distribution system is entirely separate from the Navy water distribution system. BWS has no jurisdiction over the Navy system and is not directly involved in the DOH/Navy investigation and response.

The BWS conducts regular testing on our water sources to ensure compliance with all federal and state drinking water standards. The BWS water source closest to the Navy’s Red Hill fuel storage facility is the Halawa Shaft pumping station. This station was last tested in October 2021 and showed no presence of fuel constituents in the water. However, as of Thursday, December 2, when the Navy confirmed contamination in their Red Hill well, in an abundance of caution, we have stopped pumping at Halawa Shaft. We will be testing weekly and will provide these results on our website as they come available.

While we have stopped pumping from Halawa Shaft, we have other water sources that we are drawing on to replace the 20% provided by Halawa Shaft. We will closely monitor water usage and if consumption increases over pumpage, we will ask for voluntary conservation and if necessary, mandatory conservation. At this time, we ask everyone, as always to use water wisely and follow conservation tips as posted on our website at boardofwatersupply.com.

Please call us at (808) 748-5041 if you have any questions.

DEC 2, 2021

BWS Statement on Navy Water System

The Board of Water Supply (BWS) is closely monitoring the situation the Navy is presently experiencing with their water distribution system. The BWS water distribution system is entirely separate from the Navy water distribution system. BWS has no jurisdiction over the Navy system and is not directly involved in the DOH/Navy investigation and response.

The BWS conducts regular testing on our water sources to ensure compliance with all federal and state drinking water standards. The BWS water source closest to the Navy’s Red Hill fuel storage facility is the Halawa Shaft pumping station. This station was last tested in October 2021 and showed no presence of fuel constituents in the water. However, in an abundance of caution, we have reducing pumping Halawa shaft by 50% and will be testing weekly.

Please call us at (808) 748-5041 if you have any questions.

NOV 30, 2021

BWS Statement on Navy Water System

The Board of Water Supply (BWS) is closely monitoring the situation the Navy is presently experiencing with their water system. The BWS water system is entirely separate from the Navy water system and we are not receiving complaints like those the Navy is experiencing. We know the Department of Health (DOH) is working with the Navy to identify the cause of the problem. Since the BWS and Navy water systems are separate, BWS has no jurisdiction in this matter and is not involved in the DOH/Navy investigation.

The BWS conducts regular testing on our water sources to ensure compliance with all federal and state drinking water standards. The BWS water source closest to the Navy’s Red Hill fuel storage facility is the Halawa Shaft pumping station. This station was last tested in October 2021 and showed no presence of fuel constituents in the water. BWS will be increasing the testing frequency of BWS water sources in the vicinity of the Red Hill fuel tanks as a precautionary measure. For residents who may live on or near Navy housing or Pearl Harbor base and are unsure of where their water comes from, if you receive a bill from the Board of Water Supply for water and sewer services, you are on our system. If you do not receive a monthly bill from us then your water comes from the Navy.

Please call us at (808) 748-5041 if you have any questions.

Updated: 12/10/21