TL;DR: Customers on the Haena-Wainiha Water System should not drink tap water without boiling it first under the boil water notice in effect until further notice.

What the newest order requires

The Kauaʻi Department of Water issued a boil water notice for consumers of the Haena-Wainiha Water System dated September 9, 2026, according to the Kauaʻi Department of Water page titled "8:55 p.m. 09-09-2026 (UPDATE) HAENA-WAINIHA – BOIL WATER NOTICE: Effective immediately."

The notice states EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY and until further notice, according to that same Department of Water update.

The notice states DO NOT DRINK WATER FROM YOUR TAP, according to that same Department of Water update.

The notice directs customers to bring water from the tap to a rolling boil for a minimum of 1 minute, according to that same Department of Water update.

The notice applies until further notice, and customers are advised to check www.kauaiwater.org for more information and to view updates, according to that same Department of Water update.

The reason stated for the notice is the prolonged water outage caused by Hurricane Lowell, according to that same Department of Water update.

The notice advises customers on the Haʻena–Wainiha Water System to boil all water used for drinking and cooking until further notice, according to that same Department of Water update.

A Department islandwide summary repeats the timing as 8:55 p.m. 09-09-2026 and repeats the instruction to bring water from the tap to a boiling roll for a minimum of 1 minute, according to the Kauaʻi Department of Water page titled "9:45 p.m. 09-09-2026 UPDATE: DOW water service updates (for Kauai)."

That summary also states DO NOT DRINK WATER FROM THE TAP, BOIL FIRST, according to that same islandwide update page.

Who must follow the notice

The notice is addressed To: Consumers of the Haena-Wainiha Water System, according to the Department of Water boil water notice page.

The affected area is identified as HAʻENA–WAINIHA, according to that same boil water notice page.

Households in that service area should treat tap water as not safe for drinking unless boiled, disinfected, or replaced with bottled water, because the notice states DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST, according to that same boil water notice page.

Boiled, disinfected or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice, according to that same boil water notice page.

The Department states that boiling and disinfection kills bacteria and other organisms in the water, according to that same boil water notice page.

How to boil water for safe use

Bring the water from the tap to a rolling boil for a minimum of 1 minute, according to the Department of Water boil water notice page.

Cool down the boiled water and store in a sterilized/disinfected container, according to that same boil water notice page.

Use boiled, disinfected or bottled water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice, according to that same boil water notice page.

A separate Department severe-weather guidance page describes a boil water notice or order as boiling all tap water RAPIDLY for about 3 minutes before use, according to the Kauaʻi Department of Water page titled "DOW severe weather preparation and awareness."

That severe-weather page lists uses that include drinking, brushing teeth, making ice, washing hands before eating, washing dishes, cooking surfaces, raw foods, or rinsing food, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

That severe-weather page also lists preparing other drinks like baby bottles, Kool-Aid, tea, iced tea, shakes, frozen juices, and similar drinks, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

For more information, the boil notice directs customers to visit www.kauaiwater.org, according to the Department of Water boil water notice page.

Bleach disinfection option when boiling is not possible

As an alternative, customers may add between 1-8 drops of new, unscented liquid bleach with a strength of 5-6% (like Clorox) to each gallon of water for disinfection, according to the Department of Water boil water notice page.

Fill a clean container with water, add the chlorine and let the water stand for at least 30 minutes before using, according to that same boil water notice page.

The Department states the treated water will have a slight chlorine odor, according to that same boil water notice page.

The Department severe-weather guidance states that if boiling water is not possible, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advises using regular, unscented liquid household chlorine bleach, according to the Department page titled "DOW severe weather preparation and awareness."

That guidance states not to use scented bleach, color-safe bleach, or bleach with added cleaners, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

That guidance states that if drinking water becomes unavailable during an emergency, water can be disinfected by adding 8 drops (1/8 teaspoon) of regular, unscented household liquid bleach per gallon of clear water, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

That guidance states to mix thoroughly and let stand for at least 30 minutes before use, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

For cloudy water, that guidance states to use 16 drops (1/4 teaspoon) per gallon, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

That guidance also states not to use scented, color-safe, or bleach products containing added cleaners, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

Important notes from CDC and EPA in that guidance state that boiling is the preferred method because it is more effective against certain pathogens, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

Those notes state that disinfection with bleach will kill most bacteria and viruses but may not eliminate all contaminants or parasites, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

Those notes state that water contaminated by fuel, chemicals, or other toxic substances cannot be made safe by boiling or disinfection, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

Where emergency drinking water was staged

The 9 a.m. Department update on September 9, 2026 states that a water buffalo providing potable (drinking) water was dispatched to Hanalei Colony Resort, located at 5-7130 Kuhio Highway in the Hāʻena / Wainiha area, according to the Kauaʻi Department of Water page titled "9 a.m. 09-09-2026 – DOW is aware of the following water service outages."

That 9 a.m. update states that staging time depends on access through the Hanalei Bridge, according to that same 9 a.m. outage page.

That 9 a.m. update states the Department was estimating E.T.A. at Hanalei Colony Resort by 3 p.m., according to that same 9 a.m. outage page.

The later islandwide update states that water buffalo providing potable (drinking) water will no longer be staged at Hanalei Colony Resort due to location concerns, according to the Department page titled "9:45 p.m. 09-09-2026 UPDATE: DOW water service updates (for Kauai)."

The new staging area for Haena-Wainiha will be at Wainiha Country Market, located at 5-6607 Kuhio Highway, Hanalei, according to that same islandwide update page.

Staging time depends on access through the Hanalei Bridge, and the Department was estimating E.T.A. by 3 p.m., according to that same islandwide update page.

What else was happening on Kauaʻi water systems

The islandwide Department update lists water service being restored for Puhi at 11 a.m. on 09-09-2026 after an earlier intermittent water outage was reported, according to that same islandwide update page.

The update lists portions of Hanalei among areas with outages or restoration activity, according to that same islandwide update page.

For Kilauea, a water buffalo providing potable (drinking) water was dispatched to Kilauea Neighborhood Center, located at 4260 Keneke Street, and was to be staged by 10 a.m., according to the 9 a.m. outage page.

The islandwide update states that at 11 a.m. the Department dispatched a water tanker to the Kilauea staging area for water buffalo refilling efforts, according to that same islandwide update page.

The islandwide update states that at 3 p.m. on 09-09-2026 two 400-gallon water buffalos were dispatched to Kilauea Neighborhood Center from the National Guard, according to that same islandwide update page.

The estimated time of arrival for those two buffalos was 6 p.m., according to that same islandwide update page.

For Hanalei, the update states at 2 p.m. on 09-09-2026 that water service is being restored, according to that same islandwide update page.

For Kapaa (Wailua Homesteads), the update states at 1 p.m. on 09-09-2026 that a power generator was staged for water tank regeneration efforts, according to that same islandwide update page.

For Wailua Homesteads, the update states at 7 p.m. on 09-09-2026 that water started moving through the system and, due to demand, regeneration can take between 6 and 8 hours to reach all customers, according to that same islandwide update page.

The update lists portions of Wailua Homesteads in the vicinity of the upper portion of Kuamoo Road, according to the 9 a.m. outage page.

For Hanamaulu, a portion reported low water pressure at 4 p.m. on 09-09-2026, the low pressure was resolved at 5 p.m., water was moving through the system at 6 p.m. but regeneration was moving slower than expected due to high demand, and at 9:45 p.m. regeneration could take between 3 to 5 more hours to reach all customers dependent on demand, according to that same islandwide update page.

During regeneration periods, customers were asked to continue to conserve water to essential needs only, according to that same islandwide update page.

Conservation and household storage steps

Effective immediately, the Department of Water issued a water conservation notice for the island of Kauaʻi due to Hurricane Lowell’s eastward shift, according to Department archive listings for September 7, 2026.

Customers were advised to limit water use to essential needs only, including cooking, drinking, personal hygiene, laundry, and sanitation, to help avoid a full water shortage, according to that conservation listing.

The severe-weather guidance states that a water conservation request is typically issued to prevent a water storage tank from draining during a power outage, according to the Department page titled "DOW severe weather preparation and awareness."

During a conservation request, customers are advised to limit use to essential needs only, such as drinking, cooking, personal hygiene, laundry and sanitation, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

Customers should turn off plumbing fixtures that automatically draw water, including irrigation and ice machines, for the duration of the conservation notice, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

Customers should store the recommended amount of water, minimum recommendation of 1 gallon per person per day, in emergency kits to meet needs until service can be restored, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

The Department states to visit www.kauai.gov/KEMA for an emergency kit check list, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

To store water properly, the Department states to use clean containers, preferably those designed for water storage such as FDA-approved food-grade water storage containers, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

The Department states not to use containers that may have previously stored hazardous or questionable materials, or food with strong odors, or that are made of easily breakable materials such as glass, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

The Department states to fill the container with tap water, leaving minimal air space between the water and the cap, and store it in a cool, dark place, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

Offices, alerts, and how to report problems

In compliance with Governor Josh Green’s directive, due to the continuing impact of Hurricane Lowell, DOW offices were to be closed on Tuesday, September 8, while operations crews report to work, according to Department archive listings.

The main entrance gate was to remain open from 6:00 a.m. during that closure period, according to that same listing.

To report a water service outage or leak, customers were directed to call 808-245-5444, or 808-245-5400, option 1, between 6 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., during regular business hours, according to Department guidance for September 9 operations.

The Department address is 4398 Pua Loke Street, Lihuʻe, HI 96766, telephone (808) 245-5400, and email [email protected], according to the Department boil water notice page.

To receive Department DOW Alert notifications for an area via text, voice, or email, customers must self-register at kauai.gov/kema, according to Department reminders.

The Department states to receive DOW Alerts by signing up for Everbridge, the County of Kaua`i’s mass notification system, and to view DOW updates at www.kauaiwater.org, according to the Department page titled "DOW severe weather preparation and awareness."

Any water service interruption updates will be posted at kauaiwater.org, social media platforms, and relayed to local radio stations, as needed, according to that same severe-weather guidance page.

Sources referenced