Board of Water Supply 630 South Beretania Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96843

2 0 2 1 A N N U A L

WATER

QUALITY

REPORT

Federal and state law requires

testing your drinking water for many

different types of contaminants.

This report contains test results

showing your water is safe to drink and meets all federal and state requirements.

If a contaminant is not listed, then

it was not detected.

Board of Water Supply

City and County of Honolulu 630 South Beretania Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96843 www.boardofwatersupply.com

Federal and state law requires testing your drinking water for many different types of contaminants. Below is a complete list.

Regulated Primary Contaminants

Unregulated Contaminants

Measurements in this report, one part per million (ppm) is the same as one milligram of the substance in one liter of water (mg/L). To put this into perspective, one part per million is approximately one second in 11.5 days. One part per billion (ppb) is even smaller! – about 1 second in 31.7 years.

HAA6Br are disinfection byproducts that are formed when chlorine is added to disinfect drinking water react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter present in water. The six brominated haloacetic acids (HAA6Br) are Bromochloroacetic Acid, Bromodichloroacetic Acid, Dibromoacetic Acid, Dibromochloroacetic Acid, Monobromoacetic Acid, and Tribromoacetic Acid. HAA6Br is currently being tested and reported under the Fourth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR4). The purpose of UCMR4 is to collect data on contaminants that may be present in drinking water. The United States Environmental Protection Agency then uses this information to decide if changes to the regulations are needed.

HAA9 are disinfection byproducts that are formed when chlorine or chlo- ramine is added to disinfect drinking water react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter present in water. The nine haloacetic acids (HAA9) are Bromochloroacetic Acid, Bromodichloroacetic Acid, Chlorodibro- moacetic Acid, Dibromoacetic Acid, Dichloroacetic Acid, Monobromoacetic Acid, Monochloroacetic Acid, Tribromoacetic Acid, and Trichloroacetic Acid. HAA9 is currently being tested and reported under the Fourth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR4). The purpose of UCMR4 is to collect data on contaminants that may be present in drinking water. The United States Environmental Protection Agency then uses this information to decide if changes to the regulations are needed.

Haloacetic Acids (HAA) and Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)[such as bromoform, bromodichloromethane, and dibromochloromethane] are by-products of drinking water chlorination.

Heptachlor epoxide is an organic chemical formed by the chemical and biological transformation of heptachlor in the environment. Heptachlor was once used as a non-agricultural insecticide. Heptachlor and its epoxide adsorbs strongly to soil.

Lead–If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. BWS is responsible for providing high quality drink- ing water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may choose to have your water tested by contacting private laboratories that are certified by the State for doing drinking water analyses. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Manganese is a naturally-occurring element that can be found ubiqui- tously in the air, soil, and water. It is also used in the manufacturing of steel alloys, ceramics, glass, and as a food additive. The United States Environmental Protection Agency secondary drinking water maximum contaminant limit (SMCL) for manganese is 0.05 milligrams per Liter (50 parts per billion). Concentrations in water above the SMCL may create black to brown color staining and a bitter metallic taste.

Methyl t-Butyl Ether (MTBE) is used in gasoline to reduce auto emissions. Nitrate (as nitrogen) occurs naturally in groundwater. According to EPA,

nitrates may come from runoff from fertilizer use or leaching from septic tanks, sewage, or erosion of natural deposits. Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 parts per million (ppm) is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant, you should ask for advice from your health care provider if the nitrate level is between 5 to 10 ppm.

Nitrite (as nitrogen) occurs naturally in groundwater. According to EPA, nitrites may come from runoff from fertilizer use or leaching from septic tanks, sewage, or erosion of natural deposits. Nitrite levels in drinking water in excess of the MCL could cause serious illness or be fatal to infants below the age of six months.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) are chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that have been used extensively in consumer products such as carpets, clothing, fabrics for furniture, paper packaging for food, and other materi- als (for example, cookware) designed to be waterproof, stain-resistant or non-stick. They have been used in fire-retarding foam and can be found in food packaging, consumer products, house dust, and drinking water.

Radium occurs naturally in groundwater from the erosion of natural deposits.

Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive substance found everywhere on earth. It is a colorless, odorless gas produced from the natural decomposi- tion of uranium. Because radon is a gas, it can move from water to the air in the course of dishwashing, showering, and other water-using activities. In the atmosphere, radon is harmless because it is diluted. However, in enclosed spaces such as basements, radon levels can build up. Appropriate ventilation is the best way to prevent indoor air accumulation of radon.

Selenium is found in discharge from petroleum and metal refineries, erosion of natural deposits, and discharge from mines.

Simazine may occur from herbicide runoff.

Sodium is a common element in the environment that occurs widely in soils, plants, water, and foods. It is also found in personal care products, foods, nutritional supplements, and medications.

Strontium is an alkaline earth metal that occurs naturally in the environ- ment. Air, dust, soil, foods, and drinking water all contain small amounts of strontium. Ingestion of small amounts of strontium is not harmful. According to EPA, strontium levels more than 4000 parts per billion per day may lead to negative health effects. There is no evidence that drinking water with trace amounts of naturally-occurring strontium is harmful.

Sulfates are naturally occurring substances that are found in minerals, soil, and rocks. They are present in ambient air, groundwater, plants, and food. The principal commercial use of sulfate is in the chemical industry. Sulfates are discharged into water in industrial wastes and through atmospheric deposition. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, studies suggest sulfate levels more than 500 mg/L can act as a mild laxative.

Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) is used in dry cleaning, textile processing

and as a degreaser. It can be discharged from factories and dry cleaners. Total coliform bacteria are naturally present in the environment.

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is an organic chemical that may come from metal degreasing sites and other factories.

1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP) is an organic chemical formerly used as a soil fumigant in agriculture and as a gasoline additive. It has been found in a number of wells in Central Oahu.

Uranium occurs from the erosion of natural deposits.

Vanadium is a metal that naturally occurs in many different minerals and in fossil fuel deposits. Exposure to vanadium is very common, as it is a naturally occurring element that is found in many parts of the environment including at low levels in many foods. According to EPA, levels more than 21 parts per billion per day may lead to negative health effects. There is no federal drinking water standard for vanadium at this time.

Where Can I Get More Information?

Visit our website at boardofwatersupply.com or call Erwin Kawata at

808. 748-5080. You can also reach us by e-mail at contactus@hbws.org. For information about the following topics, call:
     Environmental Protection Agency
     Federal drinking water regulations, health effects
     Safe Drinking Water Hotline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-426-4791 Board of Water Supply
     Communications Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (808) 748-5041 Water testing program (chemicals). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(808) 748-5840 Microbiology testing/chlorine taste . . . . . . . . . . . .(808) 748-5850 Copies of your Water Quality Report . . . . . . . . . . . (808) 748-5041 State Department of Health

State and Federal drinking water standards, Hawaii drinking water monitoring/compliance, health effects

Safe Drinking Water Branch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (808) 586-4258

How Can I Get Involved?

The Board meets at 2:00 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month at the Board of Water Supply, 630 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaii. You are invited to participate in these meetings. For copies of Board meeting sched- ules and minutes, call (808) 748-5061 or visit www.boardofwatersupply.com.

Board of Water Supply

630 South Beretania Street • Honolulu, HI 96843

www.boardofwatersupply.com

2 0 2 1 A N N U A L

WATER

QUALITY

REPORT

Supplemental

Information

A separate report, containing the results

of tests performed on samples of your water, accompanies

this Supplemental Information.

Board of Water Supply

City and County of Honolulu

630 South Beretania Street • Honolulu, HI 96843

www.boardofwatersupply.com

Is My Drinking Water Really Safe?

Yes, we take our responsibility to provide safe drinking water very seriously. Like you, we drink the same water and share the same concerns about its quality. Islandwide, the Board of Water Supply (BWS) operates over 94 water sources that are located among nine different water regions. Your tap water generally comes from those sources located within your area and not from all 94. The report shows the name of the source(s) serving your area and the region it is located in.

Each year, these sources and systems are tested for more than 80 different types of contaminants by the BWS.

The sources serving your area did not contain any of the listed contaminants except for the ones shown on the report. In all cases, the amounts found are fully compliant with the standards for safe drinking water.

Drinking Water Standards and Testing

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the Environmental Protec- tion Agency (EPA) prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health. A contaminant is any substance that may pose a potential health concern if present in very large quantities.

The regulations require testing tap water for many different categories of contaminants. One category is the regulated or primary contaminants. Each has a maximum contaminant goal and maximum contaminant level. The Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) is the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety. The Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) is the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. This limit is the standard for safe drinking water and is set by federal and/ or state health agencies. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

The regulations also have testing requirements for certain unregulated contaminants. Health agencies generally do not specify MCLs or MCLGs for unregulated contaminants. However, they may establish an action level which is the concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.

The rules also require testing the water in the distribution system (for trihalomethanes and coliform bacteria) and at the consumer’s tap (for lead and copper).

Each contaminant category has its own monitoring frequency established by regulation. The testing is performed either annually, every two years or every three years as determined by federal and state drinking water regulations.

Where Does My Water Come From?

The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. On Oahu, drink- ing water begins as rain falling over the Koolau and Waianae Mountain

ranges. Because volcanic rock is porous, much of this rain is naturally filtered through the ground on its way to large underground formations called aquifers.

As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dis- solves naturally-occurring minerals, radioactive material, and substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.

Source Water Assessments, reports that evaluate the susceptibility of our drinking water sources to pollution, have been completed as of 2004. These reports are available for review by calling Erwin Kawata at (808) 748-5080.

BWS Water Sources and Systems

The Board of Water Supply operates and maintains over 94 water sources that combine to deliver an average of 145 million gallons of water per day.

The water is supplied through a distribution system that contains over 2,100 miles of pipeline and 171 reservoirs. The entire system is monitored 24 hours a day.

What Kinds of Contaminants are a Concern to Drinking Water?

Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.

Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or do- mestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.

Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses.

Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban storm- water runoff, and septic systems.

Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally-occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants.

The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline 1-800-426-4791 or the DOH at (808) 586-4258.

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised individuals such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their healthcare providers. EPA/CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection

31

Ewa-Waianae-Waipahu

SystemHonolulu-Pearl Harbor

System

by cryptosporidium are available from the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or the DOH at (808) 586-4258.

What Kinds of Contaminants Have Been Found in Oahu’s Water?

Below is a list of substances that have been found in Oahu’s water and their possible sources. See the water quality report for the substances found in your water. In all cases, the amounts present are fully compliant with the standards.

Alpha and beta activity occur naturally in groundwater from the erosion of natural deposits and decay of natural and man-made deposits.

Antimony is found in discharge from petroleum refineries, fire retardants, ceramics, electronics, and solder.

Arsenic may occur from the erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards, runoff from glass, and electronics production wastes.

Atrazine may occur from runoff from herbicide used on row crops.

Barium may occur naturally in groundwater from the erosion of natural deposits.

Boron is a mineral found in food and the environment. It occurs naturally in rocks, soil, and seawater and is also used in vitamin supplements.

Bromacil is a broad-spectrum herbicide used for weed control in citrus and pineapple.

Bromide occurs naturally in the environment and is not being considered for regulation.

1-Butanol is used as a solvent in paints, surface coatings, lacquers, thin- ners, pharmaceutical formulations, waxes, and resins. The testing of this contaminant is currently being performed and reported under the Fourth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR4). The purpose of UCMR4 is to collect data on contaminants that may be present in drinking water. The United States Environmental Protection Agency then uses this information to decide if changes to the regulations are needed.

Carbon tetrachloride is an organic chemical that may occur in drinking

water from discharge from chemical plants and other industrial activities.

Chlorate is a byproduct of the drinking water disinfection process that forms when using sodium hypochlorite. According to EPA, chlorate levels more than 210 parts per billion may be a health concern.

Chlordane is a residue of a banned termiticide.

Chloride is a common element in the environment that occurs widely in soils, plants, water, and foods. It is most commonly found in nature as a salt of sodium called sodium chloride better known as table salt.

Chlorodifluoromethane also known as R-22, is a gas used for cooling in refrigeration and air conditioning systems.

Chromium may occur naturally in groundwater from the erosion of natural deposits.

Chromium, Hexavalent also known as chromium 6 is a chemical form of chromium that occurs naturally in rocks, animals, plants, soil, and in volcanic dust and gases. Water sources can be affected by hexavalent chromium naturally, or through contamination plumes from industrial centers, landfills, and improper discharge of industrial processing streams. EPA has not yet determined if low levels of hexavalent chromium in drinking water are a health risk.

Copper may occur in tap water from new or the corrosion of household copper plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits, or leaching from wood preservatives.

DCPA Mono/Di-acid degradates are environmental breakdown products of the herbicide DCPA also known as Dacthal. DCPA is used to control weeds in ornamental turf and plants, strawberries, seeded and transplanted vegetables, cotton, and field beans.

Di (2-ethyhexyl) phthalate is found in discharge from rubber and chemical factories.

Dibromochloropropane (DBCP) is an organic chemical formerly used in Hawaii as a soil fumigant in pineapple cultivation and a petroleum additive. It has been found in several groundwater wells in Central Oahu.

1,2-Dichloropropane (DCP) is an organic chemical used as a solvent and pesticide that may occur in drinking water by leaching into groundwater. It also may come from improper waste disposal and discharge from industrial chemical factories.

Dieldrin is an organic chemical once used as a pesticide for control- ling ground termites and may occur in drinking water by leaching into groundwater.

Ethylene dibromide (EDB) is an organic chemical formerly used in Hawaii as a soil fumigant in pineapple cultivation and petroleum additive. It has been found in some groundwater wells in Central Oahu.

Fecal coliform bacteria and E. Coli can be found in human and animal fecal waste and may also be found in soil.

Fluoride occurs naturally in groundwater. According to EPA, it may also come from the erosion of natural deposits or discharged from fertilizer and aluminum factories. It can be a water additive that promotes strong teeth. BWS does not add fluoride.

The water quality monitoring results are presented below.

has been tested and meets all Federal and State standards.

The water sources serving this address are:

Unregulated Contaminants (Do not have designated maximum limits but require monitoring)

Source Name

1. Kaluanui Wells
2. Maakua Well
3. Punaluu Wells II
4. Punaluu Wells III
5. Waihee Tunnel

Origin of Water

Groundwater

Groundwater

Groundwater

Groundwater

Groundwater

TreatmentRegion

Chlorination2

Chlorination2

Chlorination2

Chlorination2

Chlorination2

Contaminant

Chlorate

Chloride

Chromium, Hexavalent

Sodium

Strontium

Sulfate

Vanadium

Found in Sources

a,b,c,e

All Sources a,b,c,e

All Sources a,b,c,e

All Sources a,b,c,e

The substances detected in these sources are shown below. If a substance is not shown, then it was not detected.

Regulated Contaminants (2)

**Secondary Maximum Containment Levels (SMCLs) are standards established as guidelines to assist public water systems in managing the aesthetics quality (taste, odor, and color) of drinking water. EPA does not enforce SMCLs.

Microbial Contaminants (2)

System Name

Honolulu-Windward-Pearl Harbor

Level 1 Assessment: A Level 1 assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system.

Level 2 Assessment: A Level 2 assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why an E. coli MCL violation has occurred and/or why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system on multiple occasions.

• EPA considers 50 pCi/L to be the level of concern for beta particles

1. Analysis by the State of Hawaii Department of Health
2. Analysis by the Honolulu Board Of Water Supply. Questions, call 748-5370.

Residual Chlorine (2)

System Name

Honolulu-Windward-Pearl Harbor

Lead/Copper Testing (2)

Contaminant