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For Immediate Release
April 24, 2020

Board of Water Supply Reminds Public that Kalihi Ice Pond is Closed and It is Illegal to Access and Hike

HONOLULU – During this time of pandemic crisis, the Board of Water Supply (BWS) wants to re-emphasize that access to Kalihi Ice Pond is illegal. The area is a protected watershed and violators will be cited and can face fines up to $2,000 and time in jail.

“We want the public to honor the directives of the Governor and Mayor by staying at home until this crisis has passed.” stated Manager and Chief Engineer Ernest Lau. “Access to the pond is already off limits but there are those in our community that continue to willfully ignore the stay at home order. This places not only the trespassers at risk, but also risks the safety and security of the surrounding community. This is not acceptable.”

The BWS requests that hikers use approved trails and not access a sensitive watershed area. A list of these trails can be found at https://hawaiitrails.hawaii.gov/trails/.

“Going after trespassers takes away valuable resources from our core mission,” Lau stated. “We ask that the public respect our property and the surrounding community by not trespassing across a critical watershed area. It is very dangerous with fallen trees and lines. Access to the pond is not safe and someone could lose their life.”

If anyone is caught trespassing, they will be cited and BWS will prosecute to the full extent of the law.

For other questions regarding Kalihi Ice Pond, please call Kathleen Pahinui at (808) 748-5319.

About the Board of Water Supply

The Board of Water Supply (BWS), a semi-autonomous agency of the City and County of Honolulu, manages Oahu’s municipal water resources and distribution system.  As the largest water utility in the State, the BWS serves approximately one million customers on Oahu.  The BWS embraces its mission of “Water for Life – Ka Wai Ola” – to provide a safe, dependable, and affordable water supply, now and into the future.  Uwē  ka lani, ola ka honua – “When the heavens weep, the earth lives.”  For more information, visit www.boardofwatersupply.com, follow @BWSHonolulu or like the BWS’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/BWSHonolulu.

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Contact:

Kathleen Elliott-Pahinui
Information Officer
Honolulu Board of Water Supply
Phone: (808) 748-5319