Bring your old UV Bulbs to Uncle Tilo's Clean Water class |
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For those of you on Class B UV Systems....
It's time to upgrade to Quantum Disinfection.
After all, the quality of your water is a direct link to the quality of your health.
Know your filters and what they do
Filters come in various types and sizes and do different things.
Bigger isn't always better especially when it comes to water filters!
| No single filter will take care of all your water treatment needs. A filter is basically a screen that catches particles in water and still lets the water run through. Filters with smaller screen or micron sizes trap more debris, but the small size restricts water flow, and the filter clogs sooner and has to be changed more often. The amount of particulate matter caught in your system; roof, gutters, and tank also determines how often you need to change the filters. Filters can harbor bacterial growth, so it is important to maintain and change them regularly. According to Patricia Macomber with the College of Tropical Agriculture at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, once a month is the standard for sediment filters, but that varies depending on the size of the filter and your system’s conditions. | Most filter holes are too large to keep microorganisms from passing through with the water, so you are not safe from pathogens just because you have a filter. You should understand exactly what you want your filter to do, then purchase one that does it. Water pressure can force larger particles through pore (hole) sizes that would normally be too small. As pressure builds behind a dirty filter, more particles will get pushed through the filter. Therefore, pore size and filter function are not absolute; as the filter ages, the material in it can stretch, wear down, or tear. This is another reason to change filters on a regular basis. We often hear the string and paper filters are considered 'forever' filters because they never fill up or influence water pressure. |
Sediment Filters
Sediment filter act by catching the larger particles of debris. You can buy filters of various micron sizes.
Common ones range from 20 to 30 microns in micron diameter, although they come in smaller micron sizes too.
The smaller the holes, the less water pressure is available at the faucet.
Sediment filters are not designed to filter out chemicals or pathogens.
Common ones range from 20 to 30 microns in micron diameter, although they come in smaller micron sizes too.
The smaller the holes, the less water pressure is available at the faucet.
Sediment filters are not designed to filter out chemicals or pathogens.
Sediment filters remove suspended matter such as sand, silt, loose scale, clay, or organic material from the water.
Untreated water passes through a filter medium, which traps suspended matter on the surface or within the filter.
There are three popular sediment filters: Paper Pleated, Yarn String, and Polypropylene.
Untreated water passes through a filter medium, which traps suspended matter on the surface or within the filter.
There are three popular sediment filters: Paper Pleated, Yarn String, and Polypropylene.
Pleated Paper Filter Yarn Wound Filter Polypropylene Filter
Pleated Paper Filter
Pleated filters are a method for filtering dirt, sand, silt and sediment or as a pre-filter for a larger system. These type of sediment filters have an increased surface area. Most are 100% synthetic filter media and is cleanable, (not recommended). They come in five micron and up.
String Filter
Yarn Wound filter cartridge is a type of depth cartridge filter that is made by weaving yarn around a core. Microfibers are twisted and twined together to form a yarn. This yarn is woven in a honeycomb-shaped weave around the core such that it forms a gradient structure to allow filtration. Microorganisms have been know to pass through the yarn. Comes in five micron and up.
Polypropylene Filter
High purity pleated polypropylene filter media provides a high area, 100% polypropylene element for removal of fine or coarse particulate from fluid streams. The media is encapsulated in an integral, continuous length, thermally-bonded structure for cleanliness, pressure tolerance, and chemical inertness. Removes dirt, sand, silt, rust and scale particles.
Carbon Filters
There are many carbon options, but only one Carbon Block. Optimum size is 5 microns.
Carbon filters can effectively remove or reduce many contaminants from water
including VOCs, chlorine, lead, fluoride, pesticides and much more. They come in a variety of micron sizes.
including VOCs, chlorine, lead, fluoride, pesticides and much more. They come in a variety of micron sizes.
Granular Activated Carbon Block Filters
What is granular activated carbon? Granular activated carbon, or GAC, is made from organic materials (such as coconut shells or coal) that are high in carbon. Heat, in the absence of oxygen, is used to increase (activate) the surface area of the carbon; this is why these filters are sometimes referred to as “charcoal” filters. The activated carbon removes certain chemicals that are dissolved in water passing through a filter containing GAC by trapping (adsorbing) the chemical in the GAC.
A filter with granular activated carbon (GAC) is a proven option to remove certain chemicals, particularly organic chemicals, from water. GAC filters also can be used to remove chemicals that give objectionable odors or tastes to water such as hydrogen sulfide (rotten eggs odor) or chlorine, insecticides, Benzene and other organic chemicals.
A filter with granular activated carbon (GAC) is a proven option to remove certain chemicals, particularly organic chemicals, from water. GAC filters also can be used to remove chemicals that give objectionable odors or tastes to water such as hydrogen sulfide (rotten eggs odor) or chlorine, insecticides, Benzene and other organic chemicals.
The polypropylene 20 micron filter is the sediment filter Uncle Tilo recommends with the Clean Water Filter Pack, once the filter is full the water pressure will go down drawing your attention to change it. Keeping the roof, gutters and tank fairly clean and treated it is recommended to change every 3 months.
The 5 Micron 100% Coconut Shell Carbon filter is the carbon filter Uncle Tilo recommends with the Clean Water Filter Pack, together with the polypropylene filter. Again keeping the roof, gutters and tank fairly clean and treated it is recommended to change every 6 months.
The 5 Micron 100% Coconut Shell Carbon filter is the carbon filter Uncle Tilo recommends with the Clean Water Filter Pack, together with the polypropylene filter. Again keeping the roof, gutters and tank fairly clean and treated it is recommended to change every 6 months.
The Clean Water Filter Pack with Quantum Disinfection lends itself as a whole-house filter system
treating all water traveling to any faucet or fixture in the home. It removes the chemicals and pathogens
before it can be swallowed, breathed in, or absorbed by the skin during any use.
Regardless if you have a UV system or Quantum Disinfection, both units require appropriate filters for them to function properly.
Drinking Water Testing for Hawaii Island residents
Aloha!
Faculty at the University of Hawaii at Hilo have received funding from the National Science Foundation to pilot test drinking water from approximately 20 home-owners across the Big Island who get their drinking water from an individual water catchment system or well. To learn about opportunities to have your home drinking water tested for biological and chemical contaminants (e.g., rat lungworm disease parasite, herbicides, pesticides, etc.) and/or to receive a copy of the research results when published, please review the following:
In order to be considered to have your home drinking water tested, you must:
- Be 18 or older
- Own (not rent) your home on the Big Island
If you are selected to have your water tested for this current project, you will receive an email with the consent information below and will be asked to schedule time to review and discuss the information with one or more research team members before you make a decision about whether to participate.
For additional details & sign up, go to link below:
New prices begin February 1, 2022
Dear Valued Client,
We’re reaching out to advise you that there will be an increase on products and services, to be put into effect on February 1, 2022. This increase is due to the ever-rising cost of Covid.
Uncle Tilo’s Clean Water LLC is committed to offering you the quality you expect and deserve. We have found a way to minimize the price increase while still sourcing the best possible products and maintaining the highest standards in customer service to keep the high quality that you’ve come to expect from us and are accustomed to.
All orders made before February 1, 2022, will be honored with the current price, so we highly encourage you to order soon to take advantage of this.
Uncle Tilo’s Clean Water LLC greatly appreciates your continued business and support through this time of change. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this price increase, please do not hesitate to reach out. Our team is more than happy to discuss this situation with you.
Uncle Tilo & Team
IS DISTILLED WATER SAFE TO DRINK?
Yes, but it is not recommended.
Reverse Osmosis removes some chemicals and contaminants,
the distillation process also removes the beneficial minerals,
such as magnesium and calcium from the water.
the distillation process also removes the beneficial minerals,
such as magnesium and calcium from the water.
WHAT IS DISTILLED WATER?
IS IT BETTER FOR YOU THAN MINERAL WATER?
Water is the most essential aspect of all life forms. Up to 70% of the human body is made up of water. Today, there are various types of water and water filters available. Whether water comes from tap water, bottled water, spring water, soft water, a refrigerator filter, distillation, reverse osmosis, we should be extremely conscious of the quality of water that we are putting into our bodies. Distilled water specifically is interesting as the distillation process does purify water removing 99.9%+ of contaminants, but it also poses health risks. But first, what is distilled water?
HOW IS DISTILLED WATER MADE?
Distilled water is created by heating and boiling the water to its boiling point and collecting evaporated steam. When water evaporates and creates steam, it separates pure water from dissolved solids and contaminants. Collecting the steam leaves you with a pure form of filtered water that has not only been stripped of some contaminants but also beneficial minerals and vital nutrients as well. This type of water is often called dead water or acidic water, as all impurities, chemicals, and minerals are removed.
GREAT, NOW YOU HAVE PURIFIED WATER FREE FROM CHEMICALS AND IMPURITIES, SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
The problem is that while removing the chemicals and contaminants, the distillation process also removes the beneficial minerals, such as magnesium and calcium from the water. When your body loses water through sweating or urinating, you also lose sodium and other valuable minerals. Typically, minerals are replenished through food and water. By only drinking distilled filtered water, you cannot replenish vital minerals through water intake, which may eventually lead to a deficiency.
An increase in urine output could also result in an electrolyte imbalance. It is possible to regain some of these minerals through food in a well-balanced diet, however, when cooking these foods, mineral loss from the cooking process can be up to 70%! Your body also absorbs more minerals out of water than food, so it is important for minerals in your water to replace what you have lost.
Another adverse aspect of drinking distilled water is the flat taste. This is due to a lack of minerals, metals, and inorganic compounds. Many find this unappealing and in the long term, can lead to a decrease in water consumption. Outside of the negative health effects on your body, distilled water can also have harmful effects on the environment. Once the distillation process is completed and the pure water is collected from steam, it leaves behind highly salinized hard water, that can disrupt the surrounding ecosystem of the water source.
An increase in urine output could also result in an electrolyte imbalance. It is possible to regain some of these minerals through food in a well-balanced diet, however, when cooking these foods, mineral loss from the cooking process can be up to 70%! Your body also absorbs more minerals out of water than food, so it is important for minerals in your water to replace what you have lost.
Another adverse aspect of drinking distilled water is the flat taste. This is due to a lack of minerals, metals, and inorganic compounds. Many find this unappealing and in the long term, can lead to a decrease in water consumption. Outside of the negative health effects on your body, distilled water can also have harmful effects on the environment. Once the distillation process is completed and the pure water is collected from steam, it leaves behind highly salinized hard water, that can disrupt the surrounding ecosystem of the water source.
WHAT IS A GOOD ALTERTERATIVE TO DISTILLED WATER?
The Uncle Tilo’s Clean Water Filter Pack system is a fantastic alternative to providing pathogens free clean water while retaining minerals. There are a few main reasons why we recommend using Uncle Tilo’s Clean Water Filter Pack, the first being the quality of the water. With Quantum Disinfection™ together with a 20-micron sediment filter and a 5-micron 100% Coconut Shell Carbon filter removes chlorine, insecticides, benzene organic chemicals, bad taste, odors and kills viruses, pathogenic bacteria without the need for electric all while leaving in the minerals that your body and plumbing fixtures needs.
Acid Rain Mineral Pack
The Acid Rain Mineral Pack placed inside catchment tanks is desirable for a couple of reasons: One it adds minerals to coat copper, brass fittings and components in the plumbing systems to protect from releasing lead into the water source and adds minerals for a great tasting water source that our bodies require.
Stop using water bottles!
Drink from your tap with Quantum Disinfection
Saves time and money + eco-friendly!
The DOH rejected arguments by the Navy that the state lacks the power to shut down Red Hill.
The Hawaii Department of Health is standing by its order to the Navy to drain the Red Hill fuel facility, where leaks allowed petroleum to contaminate the drinking water of nearly 100,000 people.
DOH Deputy Director Marian Tsuji issued the decision on Monday. It affirms the findings of a hearing officer who listened to 13 hours of testimony in the case and determined last week that the order was legal and necessary.
Military officials and environmental regulators recently signed a water sampling plan. The Red Hill Facility has already damaged human health and the environment and, as currently situated, inevitably threatens to do so into the future,” the hearing officer, David Day, found. “The Navy lacks the ability to control the substantial risks associated with the Red Hill Facility, as currently situated.”
On Tuesday, Tsuji wrote in a three-page decision that Day’s report “accurately and completely states the relevant facts and accurately states the applicable law.” Under the order, the Navy has 30 days to submit a plan to “safely defuel” its World War II-era fuel facility. In a video statement, Deputy Director Kathleen Ho lauded Tsuji’s decision as a step toward protecting drinking water and the environment from “irreparable harm.” “We call upon the Navy to comply with the order without further attempts to delay,” she said. The Navy has already agreed to comply with some parts of the order, including pausing operations at Red Hill and taking steps to establish a water treatment plant. But the military, which considers Red Hill to be a vital national security asset, has strongly protested the demand to drain the fuel entirely.
Marian Tsuji affirmed a Department of Health hearing officer’s decision. In more than 40 pages of legal arguments filed last week, a Navy attorney asserted that the state lacks the power to require the facility’s shutdown, among other objections. The state can only use these emergency powers if people are in “imminent peril,” both sides acknowledge, but the Navy believes that danger does not exist. The Navy can now appeal Tsuji’s decision to the courts, but it’s unclear if it will do so.
In a statement, Cmdr. Reann Mommsen with the Navy Office of Information in Washington D.C. said only: “The Navy is reviewing the decision.” Even if the Navy complies with the order and empties its facility of an estimated 180 million gallons of fuel, the order still leaves open the possibility that the Navy could start using its tanks again at a later time. That would only happen, though, if DOH determines the Navy is able to do so in a way that is “protective of human health and the environment,” according to the order.
Meanwhile, the Navy is engaged in another legal case before DOH in an effort to secure a permit to operate the Red Hill facility. That matter, which is being contested by the Sierra Club of Hawaii and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, is ongoing.
On Monday afternoon, environmental activists praised Tsuji’s decision.
“This is huge,” Wayne Tanaka, executive director of the Sierra Club of Hawaii, said in a statement. “We commend the Department of Health for taking this critical stand, and urge it to continue holding the Navy’s feet to the fire, until it defuels its decrepit facility and defends us from itself.”
By
By Christina Jedra / January 3, 2022
By Christina Jedra / January 3, 2022
Dear Valued Client,
We’re reaching out to advise you that there will be an increase on products and services, to be put into effect on February 1, 2022. This increase is due to the ever-rising cost of Covid.
Uncle Tilo’s Clean Water LLC is committed to offering you the quality you expect and deserve. We have found a way to minimize the price increase while still sourcing the best possible products and maintaining the highest standards in customer service to keep the high quality that you’ve come to expect from us and are accustomed to.
All orders made before February 1, 2022, will be honored with the current price, so we highly encourage you to order soon to take advantage of this.
Uncle Tilo’s Clean Water LLC greatly appreciates your continued business and support through this time of change. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this price increase, please do not hesitate to reach out. Our team is more than happy to discuss this situation with you.
The Brown Water Advisory for Hilo Bay has been canceled; however, a Brown Water Advisory has been issued for the east side of the Hawaii Island on Hawai‘i.
Recent heavy rain has resulted in stormwater runoff entering into coastal waters. The public is advised to stay out of flood waters and storm water runoff due to possible overflowing cesspools, sewer, manholes, pesticides, animal fecal matter, dead animals, pathogens, chemicals, and associated flood debris. Not all coastal areas may be impacted by runoff, however, if the water is brown stay out. Continue to practice good personal hygiene and follow-up with your primary care physician if you have any health concerns.
Did you know......series
ACID RAIN AND PREVAILING WIND
Acid rain is a broad term that is often used to describe several forms of acid deposition. Wet deposition is when rain, snow, fog, or mist contains high amounts of sulfuric and nitric acid. When sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are emitted into the atmosphere, they dissolve in water and fall as precipitation. Dry deposition occurs when dust and smoke that contain high amounts of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides settle to the ground, or onto buildings, cars and vegetation. These gases are converted to acids when they contact water. The acidity of acid rain can vary. Pure water has a pH of 7 and normal rainwater has a pH around 5.6. In 2000, the most acidic rain that fell in the United States had a pH of 4.3.
WHERE DOES ACID RAIN COME FROM?
Acid rain develops when sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides enter the atmosphere. While natural processes, such as the eruption of a volcano or decomposing vegetation, can emit sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the air, acid rain is primarily caused by excessive emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides as a result of human actions.
The primary cause of nitrogen oxide emissions are vehicles, which account for about 60 percent of all nitrogen oxide emissions. However, emissions also come from furnaces, boilers and engines.
The primary cause of nitrogen oxide emissions are vehicles, which account for about 60 percent of all nitrogen oxide emissions. However, emissions also come from furnaces, boilers and engines.
CAN ACID RAIN MAKE DRINKING WATER UNSAFE?
Water that is slightly acidic should not be dangerous, as there are many food that have low pH value; for example, lemon juice, soda pop and oranges has a pH range of 2.4 and 3.6. However, a low pH can indicate that there may be other contaminants in the water, because if pollutants have been added to a water source, the pH typically will change.
Water treatment facilities monitor the pH level of the water while they are treating it for municipal use and therefore Rainwater Harvesters should also. Acidic or basic water is harder to disinfect than water with a pH that is closer t 7.0.
Water treatment facilities monitor the pH level of the water while they are treating it for municipal use and therefore Rainwater Harvesters should also. Acidic or basic water is harder to disinfect than water with a pH that is closer t 7.0.
WHY RAINWATER HARVESTERS MUST ADD MENERALS TO CATCHMENT SYSTEMS
As well, when acidic water is sent through pipes and into homes, there would be a greater danger of pipe corrosion, which could allow metals to dissolve into the drinking water releasing lead into the water supply as it flow through the pipes. One common method used to increase the pH is to add calcium carbonate - Uncle Tilo's Acid Rain Minerals Pack - which neutralizes the acid and increases the pH of the water. Another common method is to inject a sodium carbonate solution into the water. According to the World Health Organization, a pH less than 8.0 is necessary for effective chlorination. If the pH is too high, water treatment can decrease the acidity in a number of ways.
WHAT DOES ACID RAIN DO TO VEGETATION?
Acid rain can weaken trees by damaging the leaves and limiting the amount of available nutrients. Acid rain dissolves nutrients and minerals and carries them away before the vegetation can use them to grow. Crops are not usually harmed by acid rain, because farmers use fertilizer, which includes the necessary nutrients, or add crushed limestone to their fields. Limestone is an alkaline material, so it increases the buffering capacity of the soil to neutralize acids. The picture below shows the effects that acid rain had on a pine tree. The branch on the left has lost needles and turned yellow, which is the result of acid rain.
DOES ACID RAIN HARM BUILDINGS?
Acid rain can corrode metals and deteriorate paint and stone. Those of us experienced this during the recent lava flow of 2018. To see the effects of acid rain for yourself, try this experiment: Put a piece of chalk into a bowl white sugar and another into a bowl of tap water. Leave them overnight and see which is more worn away in the morning. Vinegar is an acid with a pH of 2.8, and chalk is made of calcium carbonate, which is a compound of marble and limestone.
Whether we use municipal, well or rainwater catchment systems we must know the answers to these questions:
How water is used, where it comes from, and how much it costs. Rainwater Harvesting is not as easy as collect and use for household use and consumption. Engagement is the key to provide clean safe water to you and your family.
From Flint, Michigan to Red Hill in Honolulu, Hawai'i and all those communities in-between is the reflection how the government oversite and regulations has works throughout the United States and Pacific Island Nations.
Ultimately, individually we are responsible for a personal safe clean water supply. There is no life without water.
The quality of your water is a direct link to the quality of your health.
Test your water. Investigate your water disinfection methods.
What is the difference between catchment user
and a Rainwater Harvester?
Engagement
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Empowerment through Engagement is a Win-Win!
Start the new year out a winner empowered to care for your water supply
Register to join Uncle Tilo’s Clean Water Class January 1, 2022
Pahoa Marketplace, 10am to 12pm, Bring a lawn chair!
Uncle Tilo’s Clean Water LLC raises the awareness and understanding of water quality issues and their relationship to personal, public, and environmental health. Innovations for Rainwater Harvesters enhance communities’ health and economies.
Without clean water all development efforts will ultimately fail. Those using water from untreated catchment systems will have symptoms. After all, the quality of your water is a direct link to the quality of your health.
Without clean water all development efforts will ultimately fail. Those using water from untreated catchment systems will have symptoms. After all, the quality of your water is a direct link to the quality of your health.
11:03 AM, Monday, December 13, 2021
Brown Water Advisory has been issued at Hilo Bay on Hawai‘i.
The recent heavy rain continues to impact the Wailuku river area and Hilo Bay resulted in stormwater runoff entering into coastal waters. The public is advised to stay out of flood waters and storm water runoff due to possible overflowing cesspools, sewer, manholes, pesticides, animal fecal matter, dead animals, pathogens, chemicals, and associated flood debris. Not all coastal areas may be impacted by runoff, however, if the water is brown stay out. Continue to practice good personal hygiene and follow-up with your primary care physician if you have any health concerns.
Clean Water for Strong Healthy Body
Santa knows for his body to function properly
all his cells and organs need water
Here are some great reasons our body needs water:
1. Water lubricates the joints
Cartilage, found in joints and the disks of the spine, contains around 80 percent water.
Long-term dehydration can reduce the joints’ shock-absorbing ability, leading to joint pain.
2. Water forms saliva and mucus
Saliva helps us digest our food and keeps the mouth, nose, and eyes moist.
Drinking water also keeps the mouth clean. Consumed instead of sweetened beverages, it can also reduce tooth decay.
3. Water delivers oxygen throughout the body
Blood is more than 90 percent water, and blood carries oxygen to different parts of the body.
4. Water boosts skin health and beauty
With dehydration, the skin can become more vulnerable to skin disorders and premature wrinkling.
5. Water cushions the brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissues
Dehydration can affect brain structure and function. It is also involved in the production of hormones
and neurotransmitters. Prolonged dehydration can lead to problems with thinking and reasoning.
6. Water regulates body temperature
Water that is stored in the middle layers of the skin and comes to the skin's surface
as sweat when the body heats up. As it evaporates, it cools the body.
KEEP READING
7, The digestive system depends on water
The bowel needs water to work properly. Dehydration can lead to digestive problems, constipation,
and an overly acidic stomach. This increases the risk of heartburn and stomach ulcers.
8. Water flushes body waste
Water is needed in the processes of sweating and removal of urine and feces.
9. Water helps maintain blood pressure
A lack of water can cause blood to become thicker, increasing blood pressure.
10. Your airways need Water
When dehydrated, airways are restricted by the body in an effort to minimize water loss.
This can make asthma and allergies worse.
11. Water makes minerals and nutrients accessible
These dissolved in water which makes it possible for them to reach different parts of the body.
12. Water prevents kidney damage
The kidneys regulate fluid in the body. Insufficient water can lead to kidney stones and other problems.
KEEP READING best is yet to come!
13. Water boosts performance during exercise
Dehydration during exercise may hinder performance.
14. Water assist in weight loss
Water may also help with weight loss, if it is consumed instead of sweetened juices and sodas.
15. Water reduces the chance of a hangover
When partying, unsweetened soda water with ice and lemon alternated with alcoholic drinks
can help prevent overconsumption of alcohol.
With the current lava eruption is it vital to keep minerals in your catchment.
Uncle Tilo's Acid Rain Minerals are designed for Hawai'i Rainwater Harvesters.
Rain is corrosive and considered acidic when it has a pH less than 5.6.
The more acidic the water, the greater the problem with
leaching of lead into the water.
Your house was built with materials containing a variety of metals:
Iron pumps, appliances, roofing materials, and metal fittings
Copper pipes and fittings
Lead found in all brass ( fittings and plumbing fixtures)
Cadmium found in galvanized metal
Zinc found in roofing materials and metal fittings
Copper pipes and fittings
Lead found in all brass ( fittings and plumbing fixtures)
Cadmium found in galvanized metal
Zinc found in roofing materials and metal fittings
In Hawai‘i, the greatest cause of acid rain is fumes from volcanic activity. Erupting volcanoes release gases, particularly sulfur dioxide (SO2 ). In a series of reactions in the atmosphere, the SO2 combines with water molecules, forming a dilute sulfuric acid that returns to the earth as acid rain. Kilauea volcano releases 350 metric tons per day of SO2 during eruptive pauses and 1850 metric tons per day during active eruption.
Hot water can increase leaching of lead and other contaminants, so hot water from the tap should not be consumed. It is always a good idea to flush the standing water from the faucet, particularly after the water has been sitting in the faucet for a long period of time.
Acid rain caught in catchment systems does not have the opportunity to benefit from the earth’s natural buffers. The water in catchment tanks in Hawai‘i that are downwind of the volcanic plume has often had pH readings as low as 4.
To raise pH levels, you can raise the pH in your tank by adding baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), granulated calcium carbonate (also known as calcite), or sodium carbonate (soda ash). Uncle Tilo's Acid Rain Minerals contain calcium and magnesium. Baking soda is probably the most common treatment used because it is easy and inexpensive to obtain. Also, baking soda acts as a neutralizer rather than just raising the pH. This means there is no worry about the pH becoming too high. When adding baking soda dissolve it in water and pour into the tank, stirring it around as much as possible.
Neutral water has a pH of 7.0. A great range to be in is 6.5–8.5. It is good to keep the pH above 6.0 to reduce leaching, particularly if there is metal in the system. Water with a lower pH is a health concern one should be mindful of dental health.
Healthy Reminders
Bacteria, viruses, protozoans, parasitic worms, heavy metals, and chemical contaminants all threaten the quality of your drinking water— and your health. Because leptospirosis and possibly other parasites can enter the body through cuts and soft mucous membranes, you should treat all your household water, not just your drinking water with a disinfection method that kills pathogens not just "inactivates/sterilizes".
UV systems vs Quantum Disinfection
Do the research for your health.
She says their dog, Koa, was just diagnosed with petroleum poisoning,
and the symptoms for all of her family have been going on for months.
Inside her home at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Navy mom Jamie Simic gets bottled water, warms it on the stove and then washes her 7-year-old’s hair.
They cannot use the tap water because the smelly oily water sometimes has a yellow color and it’s most noticeable in ice cubes.
Simic’s daughter, Gemma, knows not to drink it. “It makes me feel sad for my friends,” she said. A HNN crew spent more than hour in Simic’s home and felt the oily and gritty water while smelling a strange fuel odor. It also left our crew with headaches. “To see someone else feel it, see it, know it, now what goes through my head is ‘How long have I been poisoning myself and my kids?’” said Simic in tears.
Well that delivers 20% of Honolulu’s water supply shut down to protect against contamination
For Simic, the affirmation that tainted water with odors of fuel is making her and her two children sick is emotionally overwhelming. She also vomited several times from the fumes that filled her home while HNN was there.
“The military says it’s not happening. My husband, he knows how sick I am, and I’ve been telling doctors since January my esophagus is burning,” she said. She says their dog, Koa, was just diagnosed with petroleum poisoning, and the symptoms for all of her family have been going on for months.
“I don’t like it and and it makes me feel very uncomfortable because I’ve been showering with oil,” said Simic’s son, 9-year-old Milo.
DOH: More testing is needed to determine Navy water system is petroleum-free Navy leaders Thursday night said the directly impacted water may not be usable for days because more flushing and testing is needed.
“For those other areas, the timeline is probably four days to 10 days,” said Rear Admiral Blake Converse, Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
For the Simic’s, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.
Late in the day, she learned she qualified for temporary lodging assistance.
They cannot use the tap water because the smelly oily water sometimes has a yellow color and it’s most noticeable in ice cubes.
Simic’s daughter, Gemma, knows not to drink it. “It makes me feel sad for my friends,” she said. A HNN crew spent more than hour in Simic’s home and felt the oily and gritty water while smelling a strange fuel odor. It also left our crew with headaches. “To see someone else feel it, see it, know it, now what goes through my head is ‘How long have I been poisoning myself and my kids?’” said Simic in tears.
Well that delivers 20% of Honolulu’s water supply shut down to protect against contamination
For Simic, the affirmation that tainted water with odors of fuel is making her and her two children sick is emotionally overwhelming. She also vomited several times from the fumes that filled her home while HNN was there.
“The military says it’s not happening. My husband, he knows how sick I am, and I’ve been telling doctors since January my esophagus is burning,” she said. She says their dog, Koa, was just diagnosed with petroleum poisoning, and the symptoms for all of her family have been going on for months.
“I don’t like it and and it makes me feel very uncomfortable because I’ve been showering with oil,” said Simic’s son, 9-year-old Milo.
DOH: More testing is needed to determine Navy water system is petroleum-free Navy leaders Thursday night said the directly impacted water may not be usable for days because more flushing and testing is needed.
“For those other areas, the timeline is probably four days to 10 days,” said Rear Admiral Blake Converse, Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
For the Simic’s, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.
Late in the day, she learned she qualified for temporary lodging assistance.
By Mahealani Richardson
Published: Dec. 3, 2021
Published: Dec. 3, 2021
Halawa Well that delivers 20% of Honolulu’s water supply
shut down to protect against contamination.
As a precaution, the agency has shut down its Halawa well ― which delivers 20% of the water supply to Urban Honolulu ― and is relying on other sources to make up the difference.
The Board of Water Supply said it acted quickly Thursday night to shut down the water source after learning from the Navy that tests had confirmed the presence of petroleum in its Red Hill well.
The Navy’s announcement came nearly five days after military households first started reporting that their water smelled like fuel and was making them sick.
In a news conference Friday, Board of Water Supply Chief Engineer Ernest Lau explained that the Halawa well, which pumps 10 million gallons of water a day to customers from Halawa to Hawaii Kai, was shut down because “we tap the same aquifer” as the Navy.
“We basically take water from the same glass of water,” he added. “What we don’t want to do is suck the fuel across the valley ... into our wells and send it to our customers.”
Lau also said the frequency of testing at nearby wells will be increased to weekly.
He said the crisis is a wake-up call that the Red Hill Fuel Storage Facility needs to be addressed. The underground facility with 180 million gallons of fuel sits 100 feet above the aquifer.
“This is a disaster waiting to happen,” Lau said.
The Board of Water Supply said it acted quickly Thursday night to shut down the water source after learning from the Navy that tests had confirmed the presence of petroleum in its Red Hill well.
The Navy’s announcement came nearly five days after military households first started reporting that their water smelled like fuel and was making them sick.
In a news conference Friday, Board of Water Supply Chief Engineer Ernest Lau explained that the Halawa well, which pumps 10 million gallons of water a day to customers from Halawa to Hawaii Kai, was shut down because “we tap the same aquifer” as the Navy.
“We basically take water from the same glass of water,” he added. “What we don’t want to do is suck the fuel across the valley ... into our wells and send it to our customers.”
Lau also said the frequency of testing at nearby wells will be increased to weekly.
He said the crisis is a wake-up call that the Red Hill Fuel Storage Facility needs to be addressed. The underground facility with 180 million gallons of fuel sits 100 feet above the aquifer.
“This is a disaster waiting to happen,” Lau said.
Hawaii News Now
Contamination has only been detected in Navy’s system,
but officials worry it could spread
Petroleum contamination has so far only been detected in the Navy’s water system, but Honolulu Board of Water Supply officials are worried the problem could spread. That’s because the underground water source that feeds the Navy’s well in Red Hill can also flow toward the Board of Water Supply’s wells in Halawa. And when the Navy shut down its well on Sunday, the water board said it made it easier for potential contaminants underground to seep toward the city wells.
HawaiiNewsNow
“That is not a good scenario,” said Ernest Lau, the Board of Water Supply’s chief engineer.
“If we keep pumping at a higher rate at the Halawa shaft and Red Hill is not pumping, if there’s any fuel in the ground water and it’s moving as a plume then we are going to potentially suck that fuel towards us at a faster rate,”
To prevent that, the water board cut by half what it pumps from those wells and is increasing testing.
A Navy spokeswoman had no immediate response to that concern.
On Wednesday, a Hawaii lab detected a petroleum product in a water sample collected from the Pearl Harbor-Hickam system.
It was the first confirmation of what military households and other impacted residents have been reporting for days: That their water smells like fuel and has made them sick.
But the results also raise more questions, including how much petroleum is present and what kind it is.
State Environmental Health Deputy Director Kathleen Ho stressed the results are preliminary and that further testing is needed. More refined tests are being conducted at a lab in California.
Ho said the sample with petroleum was collected from Red Hill Elementary School.
Meanwhile, the roughly 93,000 customers of the Navy water system are continuing to be advised not to drink the water. Those who smell fuel should not use it for bathing or other household uses.
In addition to military households, several public schools and businesses are served by the system.
“If we keep pumping at a higher rate at the Halawa shaft and Red Hill is not pumping, if there’s any fuel in the ground water and it’s moving as a plume then we are going to potentially suck that fuel towards us at a faster rate,”
To prevent that, the water board cut by half what it pumps from those wells and is increasing testing.
A Navy spokeswoman had no immediate response to that concern.
On Wednesday, a Hawaii lab detected a petroleum product in a water sample collected from the Pearl Harbor-Hickam system.
It was the first confirmation of what military households and other impacted residents have been reporting for days: That their water smells like fuel and has made them sick.
But the results also raise more questions, including how much petroleum is present and what kind it is.
State Environmental Health Deputy Director Kathleen Ho stressed the results are preliminary and that further testing is needed. More refined tests are being conducted at a lab in California.
Ho said the sample with petroleum was collected from Red Hill Elementary School.
Meanwhile, the roughly 93,000 customers of the Navy water system are continuing to be advised not to drink the water. Those who smell fuel should not use it for bathing or other household uses.
In addition to military households, several public schools and businesses are served by the system.
Hawaii News Now
The health department separately found petroleum products
in a water sample from Red Hill Elementary.
The tanks sit 100 feet above the aquifer which supplies drinking water.
HONOLULU — Cheri Burness' dog was the first to signal something was wrong with their tap water. He stopped drinking it two weeks ago. Then Burness started feeling stomach cramps. Her 12-year-old daughter was nauseous. “It was just getting worse every day,” said Burness, whose husband is in the Navy.
Their family is one of nearly 1,000 Hawaiʻi military households that have complained about their tap water smelling like fuel, or of physical ailments like stomach cramps and vomiting. The Navy water system serves 93,000 people.
The tap water problems have afflicted one of the military's most important bases, home to submarines, ships and the commander of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific region. They also threaten to jeopardize one of Honolulu’s most important aquifers and water sources.
The Navy said Thursday that tests had identified petroleum in its Red Hill well. Rear Adm. Blake Converse, Pacific Fleet deputy commander, told a town hall meeting the Navy took this well offline on Sunday because it was the closest well to affected housing areas.
"We identified the petroleum products from two different tests. One test was taken on Sunday night shortly after this incident was identified to the Navy. And that test identified trace amounts of very volatile hydrocarbons, which would normally be associated with something like a JP-5 or a diesel fuel," Converse said.
The second test found "clear indications of petroleum products in the gas space just above the waterline in the Red Hill well," Converse said. "With both of those, we have pretty conclusive indications that there are volatile petroleum products in the well and we've determined that is the likely source of the contamination of our water distribution system."
Their family is one of nearly 1,000 Hawaiʻi military households that have complained about their tap water smelling like fuel, or of physical ailments like stomach cramps and vomiting. The Navy water system serves 93,000 people.
The tap water problems have afflicted one of the military's most important bases, home to submarines, ships and the commander of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific region. They also threaten to jeopardize one of Honolulu’s most important aquifers and water sources.
The Navy said Thursday that tests had identified petroleum in its Red Hill well. Rear Adm. Blake Converse, Pacific Fleet deputy commander, told a town hall meeting the Navy took this well offline on Sunday because it was the closest well to affected housing areas.
"We identified the petroleum products from two different tests. One test was taken on Sunday night shortly after this incident was identified to the Navy. And that test identified trace amounts of very volatile hydrocarbons, which would normally be associated with something like a JP-5 or a diesel fuel," Converse said.
The second test found "clear indications of petroleum products in the gas space just above the waterline in the Red Hill well," Converse said. "With both of those, we have pretty conclusive indications that there are volatile petroleum products in the well and we've determined that is the likely source of the contamination of our water distribution system."
Converse said the Navy will flush clean water through its distribution system to clear residual petroleum products from the water. The process, followed by testing to make sure the water meets Environmental Protection Agency drinking standards, could take four to 10 days, he said.
The Navy will also investigate how contaminants got into the well and fix it, he said. As for when the contamination exactly began, Navy officials said they are awaiting test results from samples collected before Sunday. In the meantime, military officials say they will help affected families move into hotels or new homes.
Amid the continuing crisis, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply shut off one of its wells so the Navy system doesn’t taint its own supply with petroleum from an underground aquifer it shares with the military. The BWS said its water system is separate from the Navy and it is not receiving similar complaints.
The Navy will also investigate how contaminants got into the well and fix it, he said. As for when the contamination exactly began, Navy officials said they are awaiting test results from samples collected before Sunday. In the meantime, military officials say they will help affected families move into hotels or new homes.
Amid the continuing crisis, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply shut off one of its wells so the Navy system doesn’t taint its own supply with petroleum from an underground aquifer it shares with the military. The BWS said its water system is separate from the Navy and it is not receiving similar complaints.
The Hawaiʻi Department of Health continues to recommend Navy water system users should avoid using the water for drinking, cooking, or oral hygiene. Those who detect a fuel-like odor from their water should further avoid using the water for bathing, dishwashing, or laundry. The health department separately found petroleum products in a water sample from Red Hill Elementary.
The Navy has since started distributing bottled water and said Marines would set up showers and laundry facilities connected to clean water. It is also setting up dedicated medical clinics.
The Navy has since started distributing bottled water and said Marines would set up showers and laundry facilities connected to clean water. It is also setting up dedicated medical clinics.
Environmental and Native Hawaiian groups, meanwhile, are demanding a meeting with Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro. He's scheduled to visit Hawaiʻi next week to attend a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Burness has been frustrated with the Navy's response, which she believes has been dismissive of families' concerns. She pointed to a Monday email from the commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam that told residents the Navy was testing water samples but it had no immediate indication the water wasn't safe. His email said he and his staff were drinking the water.
“All they had to do was say: ‘We see that there’s a problem, we don’t know what it is and we’re going to do whatever it takes to find out and fix it.’ That’s all they had to do. And instead, we got: ‘Nope. Looks good. Smells fine. Bye,'” Burness said.
Navy Region Hawaiʻi, which oversees all Navy installations in the state, said the commander's email was sent when “numbers of concerns were still very low.”
“Since then, the Navy has aggressively increased sampling, testing, communication to families and others impacted, as well as started response teams of experts to address the issues we all are facing,” the command said in a statement.
The most recent leak from the Red Hill Fuel Storage Facility occurred last month. The Navy said on Nov. 22 that a water and fuel mixture had leaked into a fire suppression system drain line in a tunnel. The Navy said it removed about 14,000 gallons (53,000 liters) of the mixture, and said the liquid hadn’t leaked into the environment.
The tanks sit 100 feet above the aquifer. Last month, the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi and other environmental groups called on the government to shut the tanks down.
U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono indicated decommissioning the tanks was a possibility, telling a conference call with reporters that “all options are on the table.” But she said first she wanted to focus on making sure people were getting safe water for drinking and other daily needs.
“When people are smelling fuel in their water, this is totally abnormal, totally unacceptable,” said Hirono, a Democrat who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on seapower.
Hirono said she's asked the Navy to give her a classified briefing on their fuel needs.
Burness said her experience has shaken her confidence in the military. During her decades as a military spouse, she's always believed in doing whatever it takes to support “the mission.”
“This has destroyed all of that,” she said. “I have zero confidence at this point, and I think this has shown that they cannot be trusted with anything.”
Burness has been frustrated with the Navy's response, which she believes has been dismissive of families' concerns. She pointed to a Monday email from the commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam that told residents the Navy was testing water samples but it had no immediate indication the water wasn't safe. His email said he and his staff were drinking the water.
“All they had to do was say: ‘We see that there’s a problem, we don’t know what it is and we’re going to do whatever it takes to find out and fix it.’ That’s all they had to do. And instead, we got: ‘Nope. Looks good. Smells fine. Bye,'” Burness said.
Navy Region Hawaiʻi, which oversees all Navy installations in the state, said the commander's email was sent when “numbers of concerns were still very low.”
“Since then, the Navy has aggressively increased sampling, testing, communication to families and others impacted, as well as started response teams of experts to address the issues we all are facing,” the command said in a statement.
The most recent leak from the Red Hill Fuel Storage Facility occurred last month. The Navy said on Nov. 22 that a water and fuel mixture had leaked into a fire suppression system drain line in a tunnel. The Navy said it removed about 14,000 gallons (53,000 liters) of the mixture, and said the liquid hadn’t leaked into the environment.
The tanks sit 100 feet above the aquifer. Last month, the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi and other environmental groups called on the government to shut the tanks down.
U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono indicated decommissioning the tanks was a possibility, telling a conference call with reporters that “all options are on the table.” But she said first she wanted to focus on making sure people were getting safe water for drinking and other daily needs.
“When people are smelling fuel in their water, this is totally abnormal, totally unacceptable,” said Hirono, a Democrat who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on seapower.
Hirono said she's asked the Navy to give her a classified briefing on their fuel needs.
Burness said her experience has shaken her confidence in the military. During her decades as a military spouse, she's always believed in doing whatever it takes to support “the mission.”
“This has destroyed all of that,” she said. “I have zero confidence at this point, and I think this has shown that they cannot be trusted with anything.”
Sophia McCulloug
Sophia McCullough is HPR's digital news producer.
The Hawaii State Department of Health said Wednesday a laboratory has detected petroleum product in a water sample from an elementary school near Pearl Harbor amid heightened concerns that fuel from a massive Navy storage facility could contaminate Oahu’s water supply.
The department said the test result from a University of Hawaii lab is preliminary, and it’s not yet clear what type of petroleum was in the water. The sample was taken Tuesday at Red Hill Elementary School. The department is still awaiting test results of samples sent to a lab in California.
For three days, hundreds of residents in Navy housing have complained of a fuel-like odor coming from their tap water. Some have said they suffered from stomach pain and headaches.
The department said all complaints have come from people using the Navy’s water system, and not from anyone who gets their water from Honolulu’s municipal water utility. Both the Navy and the utility have wells that draw on the Moanalua-Waimalu aquifer which is located 100 feet underneath the Navy’s fuel storage tanks at Red Hill.
The Navy on Sunday shut down a Red Hill well that draws water from the aquifer out of an “abundance of caution,” a spokesperson said.
The department has advised all those using the Navy’s water not to drink their tap water. It’s recommending that those who can smell fuel in their water not to use it for bathing, washing dishes or laundry. The system provides water to about 93,000 people living in and near Pearl Harbor.
The Navy and the state Department of Health are both investigating where the contamination is coming from, though the Navy said it has not detected any fuel in the water. The elementary school gets its water from the Navy’s water system.
Dr. Diana Felton, Hawaii’s state toxicologist, said people who ingest petroleum may experience nausea, vomiting and diarrhea as well as dizziness and headaches. Skin exposure may lead to itching and rashes. People who stop drinking effected water should start to feel better in a few hours, she said.
Felton said she won’t know whether anyone would be expected to suffer any long term effects of drinking the water until she learns what type of petroleum was involved, but at this point she believes it’s unlikely.
For three days, hundreds of residents in Navy housing have complained of a fuel-like odor coming from their tap water. Some have said they suffered from stomach pain and headaches.
The department said all complaints have come from people using the Navy’s water system, and not from anyone who gets their water from Honolulu’s municipal water utility. Both the Navy and the utility have wells that draw on the Moanalua-Waimalu aquifer which is located 100 feet underneath the Navy’s fuel storage tanks at Red Hill.
The Navy on Sunday shut down a Red Hill well that draws water from the aquifer out of an “abundance of caution,” a spokesperson said.
The department has advised all those using the Navy’s water not to drink their tap water. It’s recommending that those who can smell fuel in their water not to use it for bathing, washing dishes or laundry. The system provides water to about 93,000 people living in and near Pearl Harbor.
The Navy and the state Department of Health are both investigating where the contamination is coming from, though the Navy said it has not detected any fuel in the water. The elementary school gets its water from the Navy’s water system.
Dr. Diana Felton, Hawaii’s state toxicologist, said people who ingest petroleum may experience nausea, vomiting and diarrhea as well as dizziness and headaches. Skin exposure may lead to itching and rashes. People who stop drinking effected water should start to feel better in a few hours, she said.
Felton said she won’t know whether anyone would be expected to suffer any long term effects of drinking the water until she learns what type of petroleum was involved, but at this point she believes it’s unlikely.
By AUDREY McAVOY Associated Press
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"The department on Monday recommended that all Navy water customers avoid drinking their tap water. It also recommended that those who can smell fuel in their water avoid using it for bathing, washing dishes and laundry. Ho said she would stand by these recommendations until the department gets further results.
She said that the stomach problems and headaches that some people have complained about could potentially be the result
of being exposed to petroleum."
HONOLULU — The state Department of Health said Tuesday tests of water samples from the Navy’s water system at Pearl Harbor have so far been inconclusive after it received more than 100 complaints about fuel-like odor coming from tap water in the area. Kathleen Ho, the department’s deputy director for environmental health, said samples sent to a Hawaii lab showed there were no contaminants in the water up to five parts per million. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t contaminants in the water, she said. The department expects to get results from samples sent to a California lab later this week.
Ho told reporters at a news conference that a department inspector also noticed a fuel like smell while at Red Hill Elementary School and at a child center in Aliamanu.
Ho said all complaints about the fuel-like odor came from people using the Navy’s water system. The department has not received any complaints from customers of the Honolulu water utility, the Board of Water Supply.
The department on Monday recommended that all Navy water customers avoid drinking their tap water. It also recommended that those who can smell fuel in their water avoid using it for bathing, washing dishes and laundry. Ho said she would stand by these recommendations until the department gets further results.
She said that the stomach problems and headaches that some people have complained about could potentially be the result
of being exposed to petroleum. The department and the Navy are both investigating what the source of any contamination could be, she said.
The Navy said its engineers inspected water storage tanks, wells and distribution lines for contaminants. It also flushed distribution lines associated with housing communities that have reported contamination. It’s also asking residents in military housing to run the water in their homes for three to five minutes to help move water through the system and possibly alleviate the odor. The complaints began on Sunday.
They’re only the latest in a series fuel-related issues at Pearl Harbor and the Navy’s nearby Red Hill fuel tank farm.
Last week, the Navy said a water and fuel mixture leaked into the Red Hill facility’s lower tunnel from a fire suppression system drain line. No fuel leaked into the environment.
Ho told reporters at a news conference that a department inspector also noticed a fuel like smell while at Red Hill Elementary School and at a child center in Aliamanu.
Ho said all complaints about the fuel-like odor came from people using the Navy’s water system. The department has not received any complaints from customers of the Honolulu water utility, the Board of Water Supply.
The department on Monday recommended that all Navy water customers avoid drinking their tap water. It also recommended that those who can smell fuel in their water avoid using it for bathing, washing dishes and laundry. Ho said she would stand by these recommendations until the department gets further results.
She said that the stomach problems and headaches that some people have complained about could potentially be the result
of being exposed to petroleum. The department and the Navy are both investigating what the source of any contamination could be, she said.
The Navy said its engineers inspected water storage tanks, wells and distribution lines for contaminants. It also flushed distribution lines associated with housing communities that have reported contamination. It’s also asking residents in military housing to run the water in their homes for three to five minutes to help move water through the system and possibly alleviate the odor. The complaints began on Sunday.
They’re only the latest in a series fuel-related issues at Pearl Harbor and the Navy’s nearby Red Hill fuel tank farm.
Last week, the Navy said a water and fuel mixture leaked into the Red Hill facility’s lower tunnel from a fire suppression system drain line. No fuel leaked into the environment.
By AUDREY McAVOY
Associated Press
Associated Press
November 30 two elementary schools near Pearl Harbor say “chemical-like” smells were coming from water lines on their campuses, the state Department of Education
The news came a day after the Navy said it was investigating reports of a chemical smell in drinking water at military housing near Pearl Harbor.
The odors were detected at Nimitz Elementary and Red Hill Elementary. Department of Education spokesperson Nanea Kalanai said there were no plans to close either school. The schools have bought bottled water for students and taped off sinks. They were providing hand sanitizer so students may clean their hands. The cafeterias were preparing meals that won’t require the use of water. On Sunday, Navy Region Hawaii said engineers visited several homes of families who reported the chemical smell and also immediately went to Navy’s drinking water wells to investigate. There was no smell or sign of fuel or chemicals in the water at the Navy’s water wells and water tanks, the Navy said.
The odors were detected at Nimitz Elementary and Red Hill Elementary. Department of Education spokesperson Nanea Kalanai said there were no plans to close either school. The schools have bought bottled water for students and taped off sinks. They were providing hand sanitizer so students may clean their hands. The cafeterias were preparing meals that won’t require the use of water. On Sunday, Navy Region Hawaii said engineers visited several homes of families who reported the chemical smell and also immediately went to Navy’s drinking water wells to investigate. There was no smell or sign of fuel or chemicals in the water at the Navy’s water wells and water tanks, the Navy said.
Members of the island Water Board favored a 9.5% annual rate increase the next five years.
11/24/2021
Keith Okamoto
The increase, which would, if implemented, go into effect in July,
follows an increase last January of about 13%.
Members of the island Water Board favored a 9.5% annual rate increase over options of 12% and 8% after a presentation Tuesday from consultants anticipating revenues and expenses over the next five years.
The rate increase, assuming the pass-through power charge increases on average 3% a year and the CIP energy charge stays the same, would take the bimonthly bill of a typical home with a 5/8 inch meter and 12,000 gallons per month water use from the current $140.64 to $199.30 in 2026.
The increase, which would, if implemented, go into effect in July, follows an increase last January of about 13%.
But there will be several more steps and opportunities for public input before rates actually change. The consultant’s five-year rate schedule offers a road forward, but it could change after a planned workshop on rate structures and a “true-up” sometime midway through the five year-period, said consultant Ann Hajnosz of Harris and Associates.
The increased charges would pay for baseline operations and maintain an operations and maintenance reserve of 60 days, while increasing spending on needed capital improvement projects and keeping debt ratios at healthy levels, said consultants.
“The vast majority of your capital program is renewal and replacement,” rather than increasing capacity, said consultant Karyn Johnson. “It’s really about balancing the necessary projects with the rate impacts are for the customers.” The board voted unanimously for the middle of the three scenarios on the recommendation of Manager-Chief Engineer Keith Okamoto.
“We’re actually behind; we actually need to ramp up our repair and replacement projects,” Okamoto said. “The bottom line — we’ve got to make sure our bills continue to be paid (while saving) money to carry us through tough times.”
There is an increase in capital improvement spending in the proposed rates, but board member Benjamin Ney urged the water department to not get carried away.
The rate increase, assuming the pass-through power charge increases on average 3% a year and the CIP energy charge stays the same, would take the bimonthly bill of a typical home with a 5/8 inch meter and 12,000 gallons per month water use from the current $140.64 to $199.30 in 2026.
The increase, which would, if implemented, go into effect in July, follows an increase last January of about 13%.
But there will be several more steps and opportunities for public input before rates actually change. The consultant’s five-year rate schedule offers a road forward, but it could change after a planned workshop on rate structures and a “true-up” sometime midway through the five year-period, said consultant Ann Hajnosz of Harris and Associates.
The increased charges would pay for baseline operations and maintain an operations and maintenance reserve of 60 days, while increasing spending on needed capital improvement projects and keeping debt ratios at healthy levels, said consultants.
“The vast majority of your capital program is renewal and replacement,” rather than increasing capacity, said consultant Karyn Johnson. “It’s really about balancing the necessary projects with the rate impacts are for the customers.” The board voted unanimously for the middle of the three scenarios on the recommendation of Manager-Chief Engineer Keith Okamoto.
“We’re actually behind; we actually need to ramp up our repair and replacement projects,” Okamoto said. “The bottom line — we’ve got to make sure our bills continue to be paid (while saving) money to carry us through tough times.”
There is an increase in capital improvement spending in the proposed rates, but board member Benjamin Ney urged the water department to not get carried away.
By Nancy Cook Lauer West Hawaii Today
The public is advised of a water quality exceedance of enterococci at Kailua Pier Sta. A-1, Hawai‘i. Levels of 2060 per 100 mL have been detected during routine beach monitoring. The Department of Health Clean Water Branch provides beach monitoring and notification through its beach program. The advisory for this beach is posted because testing for enterococci indicate that potentially harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, or parasites may be present in the water. Swimming at beaches with pollution in the water may make you ill.
Children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely populations to develop illnesses or infections after coming into contact with polluted water, usually while swimming. Fortunately, while swimming-related illnesses can be unpleasant, they are usually not very serious - they require little or no treatment or get better quickly upon treatment, and they have no long-term health effects.
The most common illness associated with swimming in water polluted by fecal pathogens is gastroenteritis. It occurs in a variety of forms that can have one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, stomachache, diarrhea, headache or fever. Other minor illnesses associated with swimming include ear, eye, nose and throat infections. In highly polluted water, swimmers may occasionally be exposed to more serious diseases.
Not all illnesses from a day at the beach are from swimming. Food poisoning from improperly refrigerated picnic lunches may also have some of the same symptoms as swimming-related illnesses, including stomachache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. At any given time and place, we are constantly exposed to a variety of microorganisms that have the potential of making us ill.
The beach has been posted and this advisory will remain in effect until water sample results no longer exceed the threshold level of 130 enterococci per 100 mL.
For more information, see: http://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/cwb/#!/viewer?eventId=1416
and https://www.epa.gov/beaches/learn-human-health-beach
Children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely populations to develop illnesses or infections after coming into contact with polluted water, usually while swimming. Fortunately, while swimming-related illnesses can be unpleasant, they are usually not very serious - they require little or no treatment or get better quickly upon treatment, and they have no long-term health effects.
The most common illness associated with swimming in water polluted by fecal pathogens is gastroenteritis. It occurs in a variety of forms that can have one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, stomachache, diarrhea, headache or fever. Other minor illnesses associated with swimming include ear, eye, nose and throat infections. In highly polluted water, swimmers may occasionally be exposed to more serious diseases.
Not all illnesses from a day at the beach are from swimming. Food poisoning from improperly refrigerated picnic lunches may also have some of the same symptoms as swimming-related illnesses, including stomachache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. At any given time and place, we are constantly exposed to a variety of microorganisms that have the potential of making us ill.
The beach has been posted and this advisory will remain in effect until water sample results no longer exceed the threshold level of 130 enterococci per 100 mL.
For more information, see: http://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/cwb/#!/viewer?eventId=1416
and https://www.epa.gov/beaches/learn-human-health-beach