Honolulu, Hawaii Water Outage Today
Live Honolulu water outage reports, Honolulu Board of Water Supply’s emergency line and the system’s federal record.
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
No water outage reports in Honolulu, Hawaii in the last 24 hours
Who supplies water in Honolulu?
Drinking water in Honolulu, Hawaii is supplied by Honolulu Board of Water Supply, which handles outages, main breaks and boil water notices for the city.
Public water systems in Hawaii are regulated by the Hawaii Department of Health Safe Drinking Water Branch.
To report no water or a main break, call Honolulu Board of Water Supply at 808-748-5000.
Honolulu tap water system, by the numbers
Federal records name Hnl-Windward-Pearl Harbor as the public water system for Honolulu, with about 631,389 people on its mains. Customers know it as Honolulu Board of Water Supply; the name on your bill is the one to call.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water system in EPA records | Hnl-Windward-Pearl Harbor (HI0000331) |
| Run by | Local government |
| People served | 631,389 through 106,491 service connections |
| Source of the water | Groundwater (wells) |
| Active facilities listed by EPA | 100 active wells, 50 treatment points |
| State regulator | Hawaii Department of Health Safe Drinking Water Branch |
| Health-based violations since 2015 | 0 |
| Highest lead result (90th percentile) | 0 ppb, action level 15 ppb |
Source: EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System).
What feeds the taps in Honolulu
Water in Honolulu comes out of the ground. Hnl-Windward-Pearl Harbor runs 100 active wells that lift it to the surface for treatment and distribution.
The outage angle. Groundwater only reaches the tap while pump motors are turning, so electricity is the weak point. After a storm or grid failure the first question is which wells have backup generators; Honolulu Board of Water Supply can tell you whether yours do.
Main breaks and shutoffs in Honolulu: the usual causes
Water outages are local, so the likely cause depends on weather, pipe age and the grid. For Honolulu, these stand out.
- Flooding and heavy rain. NOAA logged 339 flood, flash flood and heavy rain reports in Honolulu County from 2015 through 2026, and 3 days a year bring an inch of rain or more. Flooding is hard on water systems in three ways: it erodes soil around pipe crossings, drowns pumps and electrical equipment, and can let contaminated runoff into the mains, which triggers precautionary boil notices.
- Tropical storms and hurricanes. Storm surge, flooding and multi-day power cuts are the main threat to treatment plants and pump stations in Hawaii. Utilities in the region routinely issue precautionary boil notices after a storm, even where nothing is found in the water.
- Digging and utility work. Street projects, fiber installation and excavation near buried pipe regularly cut mains in Honolulu with no warning, usually on a day with perfectly ordinary weather.
- Planned shutoffs and a problem at one address. Valve replacements and new connections are announced ahead, often with door hangers. If neighbors have water, check your own shutoff valve, meter and pressure regulator before calling.
Freeze, heat and rain: the Honolulu weather record
Weather stress on the water system in Honolulu is moderate: freezes and heat waves are limited, so breaks tend to follow age, ground movement and construction more than weather.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Days a year at or below 32°F | 0 |
| Days a year at or below 20°F | 0 |
| Days a year with a high at or below 32°F | 0 |
| Days a year at or above 95°F | 0 |
| Days a year at or above 100°F | 0 |
| Days a year with an inch of rain or more | 2.9 |
| Average annual precipitation | 32.2 in |
| Wettest year | 2018 (52 in) |
| Driest year | 2024 (11.6 in) |
| Coldest day in the record | February 10, 2019 |
| Hottest day in the record | July 2, 2015 |
Source: NASA POWER daily reanalysis (MERRA-2) for the city center, 2015–2025.
The wettest year was 2018 with 52 inches; the driest was 2024 with 11.6. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
Because this is gridded reanalysis data, individual hot and cold days can read a few degrees off what the airport recorded. The day counts and yearly patterns are the useful part.
Boil water advisories and the federal violation record for Honolulu
EPA lists no health-based violations for Hnl-Windward-Pearl Harbor since 2015.
When Honolulu loses pressure after a break or a failed test, Honolulu Board of Water Supply asks affected customers to boil water for drinking and cooking. The notice ends only after samples come back clean, which usually takes one to two days after service returns, and the Hawaii Department of Health Safe Drinking Water Branch supervises the process.
Lead service lines and old plumbing in Honolulu
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result filed for Hnl-Windward-Pearl Harbor is 0 ppb (2018). The federal action level is 15 ppb, so that result is far from the limit.
The age of the housing matters more than the utility's test average: 39.2% of occupied homes in Honolulu predate 1970 and 1986 was the year lead pipe and solder were banned. Flush the cold tap after an outage and ask Honolulu Board of Water Supply whether your service line is on its lead inventory.
Restoration times for water outages in Honolulu
Most repairs of an ordinary main break in Honolulu take half a day once the crew is on site. Bigger mains, deep bury and busy roads stretch that to a day or more. With 631,389 people on the system, a break on a main that feeds a whole district can leave thousands of homes dry at once, and crews may close valves several blocks away to isolate it.
| Situation | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Planned shutoff | The posted window, though crews often finish ahead of it |
| Ordinary main break | Roughly 4 to 8 working hours |
| Large or deep main | One to three days, longer if parts must be ordered |
| Low pressure after a pump or power failure | Until power returns and tanks recover, often within a day |
| Boil water notice after service returns | One to two days while samples are tested |
| Frozen service line or meter | Hours if you can thaw it, longer if the pipe has split |
Source: Utility practice, EPA and state boil water guidance.
Honolulu Board of Water Supply will post an estimated restoration time for a break that affects many customers; ask for the repair crew's estimate when you call.
Emergency water storage for Honolulu households
The average household in Honolulu has about 2.5 people, so FEMA's minimum of one gallon per person per day comes to roughly 8 gallons for three days and 35 gallons for two weeks.
- 22% of residents are 65 or older (US 17.2%); older adults dehydrate faster and may need help moving heavy water jugs.
- 48.7% of homes are in buildings with 20 or more units. Upper floors lose pressure first, and rooftop tanks and booster pumps depend on building power.
- 51.1% of households rent. Tell your landlord or property manager about a leak or outage right away, since the shutoff valve may be theirs.
- Your water heater tank holds 30 to 50 gallons of clean water. Turn off the power or gas to it first, then drain from the valve at the bottom.
- Fill the bathtub and a few large pots as soon as you hear a break is likely; that water is for flushing and washing, not drinking.
How Honolulu compares with nearby water systems
Water outage pages for nearby cities
Honolulu boil water notices and main breaks
Honolulu Board of Water Supply posts Honolulu boil water notices, main breaks and planned shutoffs on its own site and alerts. What a notice requires: water outage guide.
Honolulu water outage questions
Who do I call about no water in Honolulu?
Honolulu Board of Water Supply at 808-748-5000, day or night. Use 911 only if a main break is flooding property or roads.
What is the source of Honolulu tap water?
Per EPA, the water system for Honolulu (Hnl-Windward-Pearl Harbor) is classed as groundwater.
Is Honolulu tap water safe to drink?
EPA lists no health-based violations for Hnl-Windward-Pearl Harbor since 2015, and its latest 90th-percentile lead result is 0 ppb against the 15 ppb action level. After a boil water notice, follow it until the utility lifts it.
When do water main breaks happen in Honolulu?
With only about 0 freezing days a year, Honolulu sees fewer cold-weather breaks. Summer demand, ground movement after dry spells, old pipe and construction damage cause most of them, so they can occur in any month.
Why is my water pressure low in Honolulu?
Low pressure often comes from a nearby main break, heavy demand on a hot evening, or a failed pressure regulator at your own home. If neighbors are affected too, report it to Honolulu Board of Water Supply; if only your home is, check the regulator and shutoff valve.
When will a boil water notice be lifted in Honolulu?
Usually 24 to 48 hours after pressure is restored. The utility has to collect samples, wait for the lab to confirm there is no bacteria, and then announce the all-clear. Honolulu Board of Water Supply posts notices and lifts them; the Hawaii Department of Health Safe Drinking Water Branch oversees the process.
How much drinking water should I keep at home in Honolulu?
One gallon per person per day is the FEMA minimum. For Honolulu that means about 8 gallons to cover three days for an average household of 2.5, and 35 gallons for two weeks.
Are there lead service lines in Honolulu?
Lead pipe was legal until 1986, and 39.2% of occupied homes in Honolulu predate 1970, so it is possible in older neighborhoods. Honolulu Board of Water Supply can tell you what your service line is made of; a lead-certified filter is a sensible precaution if you are unsure.
Is there a water outage map for Honolulu?
There is no pipe-level map on this site. The report counter above reflects what residents of Honolulu have sent in over the last day, and Honolulu Board of Water Supply has the official word on main breaks, planned shutoffs and boil notices.
More outage pages for Honolulu and nearby
Other outage types in Honolulu
Water Service Outages in cities near Honolulu
- Kaneohe, HI 7 mi · Honolulu Board of Water Supply
- Kailua, HI 10 mi · Honolulu Board of Water Supply
- Hilo, HI 210 mi · Hawaii County Department of Water Supply
- San Francisco, CA 2395 mi · San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)
- Oakland, CA 2403 mi · East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD)
- Fremont, CA 2412 mi · Alameda County Water District
Report counts are user-submitted; other figures name their official source. How our data works
Comments from Honolulu
Want to add a comment?