Pearl City
Pearl City, HI water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
waiawa correctional facility
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · state government · PWSID HI0000348
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 47,698 residents, Pearl City ranks as the 3rd-largest city in Hawaii and a small but growing city. Water in Pearl City is sourced chiefly from volcanic aquifers and rainfall catchment, the backbone of Hawaii's supply.
The defining water pressure here mirrors the state's: groundwater depletion. Island aquifers are the primary supply and are sensitive to both over-pumping and contamination, as the Red Hill fuel crisis underscored.
Statewide, Hawaii recycles about 12% of its wastewater with developing reuse programs. Locally, Pearl City faces no meaningful drought conditions.
The Hawaii state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Pearl City's water future.
Honolulu County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~47,698 (3rd-largest in Hawaii)
- Primary sources: volcanic aquifers and rainfall catchment
- Drought: no meaningful conditions
- State reuse rate: ~12% of wastewater
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Pearl City?
Pearl City's largest water system, WAIAWA CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, serves about 444 people. EPA records show 5 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Pearl City get its water?
WAIAWA CORRECTIONAL FACILITY draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Hawaii's supply from volcanic aquifers, rainfall catchment.
Related water issues
Groundwater Depletion
Aquifers from the Central Valley to the Ogallala are being pumped faster than they recharge, causing land subsidence and threatening long-term supply.
ExploreSaltwater Intrusion
As coastal aquifers are over-pumped and seas rise, saltwater pushes inland and contaminates freshwater supplies for cities from Florida to California.
ExplorePotable Reuse
Advanced purification turns treated wastewater into water that meets or exceeds drinking-water standards — increasingly essential in water-stressed regions.
Explore