Wahiawa well called safe despite contaminant traces

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

Trace amounts of a gasoline additive were found in a recently activated Wahiawa well, but health officials said the water is safe to drink and poses no health problems.

The contaminant methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) was detected in the Board of Water Supply's Wells II, Pump 2, soon after the well was activated Nov. 13. The well supplies water to residents in Wahiawa and Whitmore Village, said BWS spokeswoman Su Shin.

The MTBE was detected at 1.2 parts per billion, but the water was deemed safe to drink by the Health Department, Shin said. She said the Environmental Protection Agency has no maximum contaminant level for MTBE, but said that even at 20 to 40 ppb there is little likelihood that the water would pose a health hazard.

"They're talking 20 to 40 and ours is not even in their radar," Shin said.

Shin said the BWS is looking into the source of the MTBE. The chemical is put into gasoline to reduce vehicle emissions.

Shin said because MTBE is an unregulated contaminant and it was found at such low levels, the BWS is not required to do any follow-up testing. But she said the BWS will test the water once a month.

Health Department spokeswoman Laura Lott confirmed that the water is safe to drink. She said the law requires the state to notify the public anytime a contaminant is found in drinking water.