The Department of Water Supply (DWS), County of Hawai‘i, reports that 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP) was not detected during recent follow-up testing of the ‘Ōla‘a-Mountain View Water System.
Earlier this month, the Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) reported that trace levels of TCP were isolated to the ‘Ōla‘a booster station #3 hose bibb or spigot, which is located on DWS property and not accessible by the public. The concentrations were 0.05 parts per billion (ppb) to 0.07 ppb, well below the DOH’s maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 0.6 ppb. There is no federal standard for TCP levels in municipal drinking water.
TCP, a manmade chemical previously used during the plantation era, was not detected in any of the water sources that supply the ‘Ōla‘a-Mountain View Water System.
Per standard testing and safety protocols, DWS replaced the original hose bibb with a new one and collected the follow-up test sample to determine the source of the contaminant. That test result, received on September 18, 2023, reported no detection of TCP. This data assures DWS that the previous detections could be attributed to the old hose bibb and not DWS water sources or systems. Thus, DWS water remains safe to drink.
DWS works daily to fulfill its mission to “provide customers with an adequate and continuous supply of safe drinking water in a financially responsible manner.” Water-quality reports, conservation tips, and other helpful information can be found on the Department’s website, www.hawaiidws.org.