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.

Whenever a boil water notice is issued, BWS will notify the public when it is lifted through a news release, updates on our website (www.boardofwatersupply.com), social media outlets (Facebook, Nextdoor) and the City’s HNL Alert. Announcements lifting the notice were issued over two days for the North Shore: on March 24, 2026 and on March 25, 2026.

• Flush the water lines if the water is dirty.
• If making ice for the first time after the notice is lifted, toss the first batch.

To flush your property's water lines, you will need to run all your taps for approximately five minutes. Before you begin, be sure to remove the aerator or screen from any fixture. This will help to prevent any build-up from accumulating on them.

1. Check the main water supply valve to ensure the water in the house is turned on.
2. Starting with the faucet closest to the main water supply valve, turn on every outside faucet and then go inside the home. In a single-story home, begin with the tap closest to and end at the tap farthest from the main water supply valve. If you live in a multi-level residence, start with the highest tap on the top floor, and then move down to the bottom of the house.
3. Let the water run about five minutes. While the water is running, flush each toilet a couple of times.
4. After the five minutes have passed, turn off the taps in the reverse order.
5. Clean the aerators or screens and reattach them to the faucets.

Yes, you should flush your water heater after a boil water notice is lifted to remove potentially contaminated water from the tank. Run all hot water taps for at least 15–30 minutes, or until the water runs completely cold, to ensure the tank has been fully flushed with safe water.

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.

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.

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 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.

WS 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.

Water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil for three minutes, then cooled before use.

It can be used for anything you normally would consume. This includes drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, making ice, and preparing food.

You may shower as usual but avoid swallowing the water. For brushing your teeth, please use boiled or bottled water.

If you need to wash dishes, use hot, soapy water and rinse with boiled water or bottled water. If possible, wait until the notice has been lifted.

We strongly encourage you to give your pets boiled or bottled water during the notice. Please allow the boiled water to cool before giving it to them.

No. Do not use ice from your ice maker. Discard any existing ice and wait until the notice is lifted before making new ice. Toss the first batch of ice.

No. Most water filters do not remove bacteria. Please use boiled or bottled water instead.

If your power is back on, please make sure that the water is running clear with no unusual odors before doing anything with the water such as bathing, washing dishes or washing clothes. If it isn't, please flush your water lines.

• If you have power and ample water pressure, you can safely use your dishwasher to wash dishes as long as it has a sanitation cycle or you are sure it reaches a final rinse temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, wait until the notice has been lifted.
• If you have power and ample water pressure, you can safely wash clothes in your washing machine as you normally would.

We do not recommend using water dispensing machines at supermarkets along the North Shore until the boil water notice is rescinded. After that, refrain from using until you see confirmation that the machines have been properly checked and serviced before being put back into service.

It is a precautionary public health advisory telling water users to boil tap water before using it for drinking, cooking, and making ice. Until the notice is lifted, water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil for three minutes and cooled before using.

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

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

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.

• BWS will respond to the impacts caused by the severe weather and power outages and will work as quickly and safely as possible to restore normal water service operations.
• BWS will issue a boil water notice and test the water quality in impacted areas to confirm if the water is safe for drinking.
• The boil water notice remains in effect until the system is operational and testing confirms the water is safe to drink.
• During boil water notice, BWS will deploy water tanks for customers to collect water.

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.

Following a severe weather incident like the Kona low storm floods, the BWS will work as quickly and safely as possible to restore normal operations and complete water quality testing. There is no exact timeline, but time is required to collect samples, send them to labs, and then to receive and review lab results. That process can take several days, more if additional sampling and testing is required. A boil water notice will remain in effect until testing confirmed and the water is safe for consumption.

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.