FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes. BWS is here to support customers affected by the Kona low storms and flooding. In-person assistance is available at the Waialua Community Action Center, which opened on Thursday, March 26, 2026. Billing assistance is also available. See the Kona Low Storm Recovery page for details.

The City and County of Honolulu's Kona Low Storm Recovery page provides a centralized information resource for those impacted by the storms.

There was a boil water notice in effect for the North Shore for the tap water served by the BWS water system. During that time, all BWS customers in the impacted areas were advised to boil water before use and to continue to do so until the notice was lifted. The boil water notice was lifted for part of the North Shore on March 24, 2026 and on March 25, 2026.

The storm’s flood waters may have contained unknown pathogens and/or chemical contaminants and spread those across the impacted area. As such, residents who have returned home and anyone assisting with clean-up efforts may be exposed to tainted flood waters and debris for extended periods of time. If you are experiencing rashes, infections in open wounds, or have other ailments develop, please seek proper medical attention.

No. There are no BWS source pumps for underground sources in Pūpūkea. In the past, BWS groundwater pumps have been used to fill reservoirs in Pūpūkea.

Usually out of an abundance of caution following severe weather events, water utilities like the BWS will issue notices asking customers to boil their water until testing confirms that it is safe. At this time, there is no confirmation that the drinking water is contaminated.

BWS’s groundwater sources are not affected by surface water – rivers, lakes, streams or even flooding. The BWS only uses groundwater collected in our island’s underground aquifers. Oʻahu's water is filtered through porous volcanic rock for as long as 25 years before entering the underground aquifers and being pumped into the BWS water system. Due to the presence of legacy pesticides, water pumped from Waialua Wells is filtered through Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) before it enters the storage and distribution system serving the North Shore.

BWS issued the boil water notice, as a precaution due to severe weather and catastrophic flooding, which caused power to be turned off in the North Shore area.

• The power outage disrupted the BWS’s ability to pump water through the system. When operations are affected, there is a potential risk to water quality.
• Until we can confirm the water is safe for use, customers are being asked to boil their water before use.

The boil water notice was issued for BWS customers south of Pūpūkea Rd heading to Haleʻiwa and including Waialua and parts of Mokuleʻia.

Not all of the North Shore is served by the BWS. If you are a BWS water customer in the area impacted by the Kona low storm flooding, you should follow the boil water notice advisory. Contact the BWS at (808) 748-5000 and speak with a customer service representative to check if your specific address is in the notice advisory area. If you do not receive a water bill from the BWS, please contact your water service company for assistance.

The boil water notice for the North Shore was issued on March 21, 2026.

The boil water notice was lifted for part of the North Shore on March 24, 2026, and then for the rest of the area on March 25, 2026.

BWS tested for total coliform and E. coli, both of which are used as indicators of possible fecal contamination. Test results were negative, and the water is safe for consumption. See BWS Water Sampling & Testing on the North Shore for more information.

BWS did bacterial testing to clear the boil water notice for its customers impacted by Kona low storm flooding on the North Shore. Heavy metals and pesticides (including glyphosate) get tested as part of compliance testing required by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency. This information is available on the BWS semi-annual Water Quality Report. Go to https://www.boardofwatersupply.com/water-quality/water-quality-report to find the most recent report for your service address.