Uwe ka lani ola ka honua
                              When the heavens weep, the earth lives

   Henry Ohumukini, Jr. Old Hawaiian proverb, saying on the front of the BWS building.

The Board of Water Supply (BWS) manages O'ahu's municipal water resources and distribution system. The BWS provides residents with safe and dependable water service at reasonable cost. Monies collected from water sales finance its operations and projects.

As a semi-autonomous agency, the BWS is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. Five members are appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. The remaining two directors are the Director of the State Department of Transportation and the Chief Engineer of the City Department of Facility Maintenance.

The Board appoints the BWS Manager and Chief Engineer to supervise the agency's overall operations. The BWS maintains O'ahu's water resources and distribution system to meet the needs of customers now and in the future, despite growing restrictions such as increasingly stricter drinking water regulations as well as the community's growing demand for water.