(instrumental music) Kalaʻi Miller / Home is Here: Aloha, I’m Kalaʻi Miller.

It’s a thing many of us take for granted – getting fresh, clean water into our homes.

But for nearly a century, it’s been the number one priority of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply.

Turns out getting water to your tap is a much longer process than you might think.

Arthur Aiu/Honolulu Board of Water Supply Community Relations Specialist: So, the history of the Board of Water Supply, as we currently know, began in the year 1929.

But prior to 1929, what was happening here on the island of Oʻahu is that there was a boom of artesian well drilling.

The history of artesian wells on Oʻahu began in 1879 out in ʻEwa by a man named James Campbell.

In a span of about 50 years after that, there was an explosion of well drilling and it led to the depleting of the underground aquifer.

And in the mid-1920s, Oʻahu was going through a heavy drought period and there was a real scare that our freshwater resource would be depleted.

So, the government stepped in and they enacted the establishment of the Board of Water Supply.

We operate and manage the water system for most of the island of Oʻahu and we serve approximately 1 million people daily on the   island by providing approximately 145 million gallons of water every day.

Because we live on an island in the middle of the ocean, we are totally dependent on rain and that's where our freshwater literally comes from.

We literally live on a stone sponge.

Our island will collect that rain, will soak into the ground, our lava rock will percolate and clean and filter that water.

But because it's literally a stone sponge, it will store and hold that water underground in huge aquifers.

And then that's when the Board of Water Supply, we finally come in, we pull that water up out of the ground, it goes through a pipe comes up the faucet of your house.

From the time that rain falls at the top of our mountains, that water drop will take a trip that's about 25 years long before we pump it up.

So we can say that we drink 25 year old water here on the island of Oʻahu, but we can also say that 25 year old water is one of the world's best.

Here on the island of Oʻahu, we are 100 dependent on water from underground, now primarily it's groundwater or water from the aquifer.

That accounts for about 92 to 93% of our water.

Now the remaining part, the remaining 7 to 8% comes from sources that are confined naturally in the mountains.

One of our largest facilities that is known as a dike tunnel here in Waiheʻe Valley.

It is the single largest water source for Windward Oʻahu that draws water.

Now, it's interesting that this tunnel was built in the mid-1950s.

This is the decade just following World War II.

Now, during World War II, there was a huge influx of population growth.

Simple fact is that the water system on the windward side at that time was just too small.

They needed to find a major water source for the towns of Kāneʻohe and Kailua.

And what our tunnels do is we dig horizontally right through.

And when we find one of those solid rock walls, we know if we've punched through that wall, on the other side, we're going to find that natural compartment of water.

And that's what we have here at Waiheʻe.

The tunnel is actually 1,500 feet long.

So, the length of five football fields.

Our 24-inch water main, that's the pipe that is actually bringing the water out from the back of the tunnel.

No electricity is required because everything is done by gravity flow.

But right here at this particular point is actually a dike formation, right here on this rock.

So very simply what happens is the geological formation of the island of lava flow upon lava flow happens.

Because we still have active volcanoes in Hawaiʻi, underground earthquakes during the formation of the island when underground earthquake happens, the ground would split.

When that split happens, it would allow a finger of lava to fill that gap.

So you can imagine this formation split, a finger of lava flowed in, filled it in and because that lava was really never exposed to air gas bubbles never happened and it cooled and hardened into solid rock, creating this dike stone.

So, when we get up to the bulk heads, you can imagine that’s what happened.

We drilled through that solid rock wall and on the other side in this compartment in the cracks and crevices of the rock, water is being held or stored.

When we get 1,500 feet in, we will come to two steel and concrete bulkheads.

Those bulkheads will look something like a bank vault door.

But where that wall at that bank vault door, it's the point where we broke through that compartment wall and into the water.

The construction of that bulkhead very simply is we put that wall back, and that helps us keep the integrity of the natural compartment of water on the other side.

With all the other tunnels that we have on our system, Waiheʻe is the actual only one that we have the bulkhead in place.

We use Waiheʻe as a summer bank account.

We all know here in Hawaiʻi we have two seasons, wet and dry.

So wet season comes and it rains and we let that water build up in the compartment naturally.

So, when dry season comes, we will have a source of water that will hopefully take us through the dry season waiting for the wet weather or the rains to return.

(Chain rattling) Ernie Lau/Honolulu Board of Water Supply Chief Engineer: Traditionally, water utilities operate very   quietly.

Most of the infrastructure is underground, you don't really see it, you just turn on the faucet in your home and clean, fresh water comes out.

I think the number one thing that people can do is understand the value and importance of wai, or freshwater, for our community, for our lives.

So, cherish that water as a gift.

So only use what you need and don't waste it.

Almost anything you pour on the ground can - chemicals or even waste, motor oil, if you pour it on the ground, eventually that could actually reach the underground aquifer.

So everybody has a part and together as a team,   we accomplish the job of providing safe drinking water to our community.

I would say just remember, you know, ka wai ola - water for life.

Ola i ka wai - water is life.

So, remember that when you look at the next glass of clean fresh water and then hold it up to the light, take a look at it and say this is actually, it's actually like the lifeblood of our community.

Because without clean, fresh water we cannot survive on this island.

So, cherish this gift, treat it wisely.

Kalaʻi Miller / Home is Here: He’s employee number 11 at KTA Super Stores on Hawaiʻi Island.

And for decades,   Derek Kurisu has worked in the local food industry, using his plantation style values to serve the community.

And his latest venture is no different.

He’s showing people how to cook easy meals with simple indredients and a dash of his signature excitement.

Welcome to The Man and The Pan.

Today I’m going to do something really, really easy for you.

I’m gonna do a lettuce wrap.

So what I need first, I dump in.

Derek Kurisu / KTA Super Stores Executive Vice President: I'm Derek Kurisu.

I'm the Executive Vice President of KTA Super Stores.

I was born and raised in Hakalau.

It's a plantation town about 15 miles away from Hilo.

You know, that's where I got all my whole foundation of life is part in the sugar plantation.

And I'm really proud of it.

My dream was to work at KTA.

So in order to get into work into KTA in those days you had to carry 100-pound bag of rice.

So, my father would come home, we used to buy our 100-pound bag of rice and I had to practice.

So as soon as I came 16, and that was back in 1968, so you do the math how many years I've been here.

But you know at 16 I got my first job at KTA.

So, you know, I've been here quite a bit of my life, you know.

And, in fact, KTA is my life.

You know, the food industry is my life.

You know, making sure that everybody gets fed is my life.

And that's the reason why I'm here working at KTA enables me to do that.

So, it's an unbelievable experience.

Whoa, plenty milk today?

Yeah.

A, good student right?

Hello, how you folks doing?

(instrumental music) Eh, guess what?

I’m at KTA, the best looking girl in Oʻahu!

Wait but who’s the best cook?

The Man and the Pan.

Okay, big shaka to everybody.

Awesome!

Welcome to The Man and the Pan.

Today I get something really exciting.

Okay so, The Man and The Pan is a very interesting segment.

So, I didn't realize or I didn't know what Instagram and all this social media was all about, then all of a sudden, I say, wow, you know, that's a great way to kind of promote what we do.

I video it, I edit it I cook it, I figured everything out just myself.

I'm one man army and and so I cannot make mistakes or I going have to go and redo the whole thing.

And you know for me, the thing is done in about maybe half an hour.

The thing that takes me a long time is cleaning up.

The bugga look good.

Let me see how it taste.

Mmm.

Oh, it’s so good.

What inspired me is when I go down to go on the floor, and I see a lot of these senior men, they’ll walk down and they're sad, or they don't know what to do.

They're confused.

And I'll ask them, you know, so what happened?

And they will tell me, oh, their wife passed away, or their wife sick.

And they just don't know how to feed themselves, you know.

So, my whole thing is to make sure every man knows how to cook.

Here I got some beautiful aliʻi mushrooms,   okay?

It’s grown right on this island.

So chop them up into small chunks.

A lot of my recipes basically are from my grandmother, or my mom or all these plantation kind of recipe.

So, it's so basic.

Salt, pepper, shoyu, sugar, you know, vinegar and all the simple ingredients.

Not all these fancy spices and stuff like that, you know, it's real simple ingredients.

I dump in some, some black pepper.

Ahh, just enough for taste.

Okay.

I shop every day.

After I work, I walk the store, look at every single thing that I have.

And I'll cook something that I see that kind of excites me.

So that's the advantage I have over everybody else that doesn't work in a supermarket.

So I encourage all of you guys to work in a supermarket, yeah.

So how the produce, top shape?

You bring food everybody comes.

Yeah, that's Hawaiʻi for you.

When you go to a potluck, everybody brings a specialty something that they're good at.

I have aunties that were known for their salads and this other aunty was known for chicken and then you know, so when they come together, you get one, one unbelievable feast.

It's not just the products they bring, right.

But it's the it's the thought, the feeling.

The identity is like in them.

The ground pork is frying With Man in The Pan, or all my cooking shows, or whatever I do, I try to make it fun and simple.

Okay, today I'm gonna do a tofu salad.

I love to do tofu salad because you know in tofu salad, there's all these different kinds of ingredients is what Hawaiʻi is about.

So here we go.

Iris Higa / Hawaiʻi County Elderly Actitivities Division: Derek has been such a wonderful asset to our community.

And he actually has reached out to Kamana Senior Center and the county on many occasions, wanting to give back to the community.

He's given a lot of donations, supported us with events, and just moreso wanted to show his presence to the seniors.

Yeah put some romaine vegetables in.

Oh look how, look how sloppy me.

The teacher giving me stink eye, ai-yah.

Iris Higa / Hawaiʻi County Elderly Actitivities Division: Derek has definitely a vibrant demeanor towards everyone.

Loves to always make people laugh.

Put on the tomatoes.

You know my mom was so funny when when I grew up she used to tell me all Waimea girls they eat a lot of tomatoes because their cheeks are all red.

They had red cheeks.

Ha, how you like that?

Iris Higa / Hawaiʻi County Elderly Actitivities Division: And he lights up the room with whatever he does with anybody if it's a cooking demonstration, or if he does an activity with them.

He really makes people feel as though they're welcome and enjoying their time with him.

It’s not over yet.

I get one something real special.

The most expensive stuff of this dish right?

But I brought plenty because I got 'um for free.

It's umm taegu.

Derek Kurisu / KTA Super Stores Executive Vice President: You know, what is important going to the Senior Center is you know if you notice, you know, it's not about me cooking or feeding them, it's about me telling them thank you very much.

You know, you know, we don't we don't thank them.

We don't thank the seniors for all what they've done for us, you know, and not only, it doesn't only come from me, I always say from your children, children, children and future generations.

Because you know, a lot that we don't tell, oh, thank you, mom, or thank you, dad for doing this for us.

So what I do is I try to go there with a frame of mind that I, I just so grateful.

I'm so grateful, you know, when you looked at you look at all these seniors in the crowd, right?

They they the one made us who we are today.

And it's just a simple gesture.

So cooking for them.

It just one thing, right?

Honoring them or making them laugh is a whole new other thing.

What I'm going to do, I'm going to show you how to   eat and I want to see you imitate me how I eat.

Kay?

Mmm.

Mmm.

Mmm.

Oishi.

Okay go ahead.

Mmm.

Oh it’s so good.

Mmm.

Okay, come on.

Mmm.

Ono.

This is really good.

It’s really good?

Derek Kurisu / KTA Super Stores Executive Vice President: But when I walk outta the place, whenever I go places and I walk out, when I do stuff like that, I think I've gained more in myself than they have gained from me.

So you know, I always walk out and say thank you for this opportunity.

Iris Higa / Hawaiʻi County Elderly Actitivities Division: Derek definitely is somebody that I think a lot of people really he inspires them to be active in the community and give back.

So just by watching him, I think a lot of people realize that, that's what his personality is about always wanting to give back.

And that's really what it is community first, because our community is the most important factor of everything that happens around us.

So if everyone is working together, then our community is so much stronger.

Derek Kurisu / KTA Super Stores Executive Vice President: In fact, even when you think about KTA, right?

You know, I've been here a long time.

I've been working here for four generations.

And there's so many people I've worked with, who really helped me along, who really I know sacrificed so much of their lives and their family lives and everything else, you know, to make KTA what it is today.

And with that, I tell myself, I just got to make sure that this company here thrives and survives.

Because it's all about them.

So, you know, the seniors is just just a big inspiration for me.

Iris Higa / Hawaiʻi County Elderly Actitivities Division: I think Derek, he enjoys the social interaction.

So I think for him wanting to continue to just do what he loves to do.

And I think that's also what makes it more worthwhile for him that he hasn't retired.

He really does enjoy what he does.

And I think that's what really makes it more worthwhile for him to continue to work and continue to impact the community.

And so he definitely keeps himself busy.

And even if he does retire, I think he's still going to be busier than ever.

Derek Kurisu / KTA Super Stores Executive Vice President: I worked for Koichi Taniguchi, he was a founder of this company.

And maybe that's what keeps me here this long.

You know, he was a real nice, humble, short man wearing a white shirt.

He used to sweep the sidewalk every day.

And the customers would come up to him and thought he was a custodian.

Right.

But that kind of actually keeps me grounded.

I mean, maybe it's why, you know, for me, I mean, every single person is important to me.

But one thing, Mr. Taniguchi really instilled in me is, you got to make sure you be humble.

You got to make sure that you can communicate and be nice to everyone.

My favorite delivery guy right here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I find that you know, by going on the Instagram, all of a sudden, I have people all in the mainland everything else, in Japan, they tell hey, look The Man and The Pan, right?

They asked me I'm the man and so they're they’re all watching it right?

And, and also the younger ones, you know they think it's funny.

So, you know, I think I'm making a difference in the world.

And you know, that's what makes me feel good about that series The Man and The Pan, making a difference and actually spreading aloha, especially to the mainland cause there's so many people right from here, move to the mainland, and say, wow, man, I remember my shoyu pork that my grandmother made or my Korean chicken that my aunty made.

I wish I knew how to make it right?

So, I do it real simply, just really maybe might not taste as good as them.

But after I eat it, I go mmm, tastes good, right.

You know, but that's the way it goes.

Kalaʻi Miller / Home is Here: Elephants, tigers, hippos – when you think of the Honolulu Zoo, these big animals may be the first to come to mind.

But some of the zoo’s tiniest residents may be among the most important to Hawaiʻi.

(instrumental music) Becky Choquette/Honolulu Zoo Keeper: Hawaiʻi is the endangered species capital of the world.

Because of our isolation, many species of plants and animals came here and then evolved into something that has found absolutely nowhere else.

So, the Honolulu Zoo has been working in conjunction with the DLNR, that's Department of Land and Natural Resources, to raise both Kamehameha butterflies, which are one of Hawaiʻi's two endemic butterflies and also our state insect and a species of extraordinarily rare and endangered Hawaiian land snail.

With our land snails, our amastra cylindrical,   we're actually breeding and raising these snails and we return the snails when they reach a certain size to DLNR and DLNR releases them back into the wild.

So these snails because they live on the ground, eat dried leaves that have fallen off the trees to the forest floor.

And they recycle the nutrients in those leaves back into the soil.

So, they're a very important part of the native environment.

As you can see, the adults are maybe a little bit over a centimeter long, but the babies are incredibly tiny.

And unlike most snail species, which lay eggs, these snails give birth to live young.

So, they're producing one or two babies generally every week to every two weeks.

As we clean the boxes, we search very carefully through all the leaves and the litter to make sure that we find these tiny itty bitty baby snails because they're so small it can be easy to overlook a snail.

And I hike with a number of other people and they tell stories of days in the past, when they would find snails underneath trees up in the mountains.

There were hundreds, even thousands of snails up there.

And now, when we go up, it's very, very difficult to see any snails at all.

So, there's been this drastic reduction in the population, just in one human lifetime.

(instrumental music) Kamehameha butterflies here at the zoo are an interesting project.

We spend a lot of time and a lot of effort on our butterflies.

The adults have about a three-week lifespan.

And we keep the adults in our butterfly exhibit and we give them mamaki which is their host plant on which to lay their eggs.

And roughly once a week, we will go in and we will harvest all the teeny tiny little butterfly eggs off of the mamaki and we'll bring them into our insect lab which is right next door.

So, the eggs will hatch into tiny, tiny caterpillars, which we will carefully keep each one in an individual cup.

So, if you come by our ectothermic exhibit, you'll actually be able to see these caterpillars being raised up in our in our insect lab.

Kamehameha butterflies are actually fairly rare in the wild.

And there are a number of Hawaiʻi residents who may live here their entire lives and never have a chance to see one of these animals.

So being able to display them here at the Honolulu Zoo and have people see them real life, up close and see the caterpillar's that we're growing here is actually a very special experience.

With the Kamehameha butterflies and the native snails one of the larger predators out there that they have to contend with in the wild right now are Jackson's Chameleons.

Jackson's Chameleons were imported a long time ago for the pet trade.

They accidentally got loose in the wild and now there are large populations up there in the forest.

And we do know that Jackson's Chameleons prey on a wide array of native invertebrates including the native Hawaiian snails.

Other predators out there that they have to contend with are the rats.

Rats will eat a lot of snails.

So Hawaiʻi animals are already under siege from a   number of different angles and we don't want to add to that.

If you see an animal that you think is not supposed to be here, you can call Hawaiʻi State Department of Agriculture's pest line and report it.

The Honolulu Zoo does work with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Agriculture with their amnesty program.

So, if you have an illegal animal, you can turn it into Hawaiʻi State Department of Agriculture, you can turn it into the Honolulu Zoo, you can turn it into the Hawaiian Humane Society.

You may end up seeing that animal on display here at the Honolulu Zoo because we have taken in a number of animals that were turned in for amnesty in the past.

(instrumental music) A lot of the extinctions that have happened in Hawaiʻi have happened within a single human lifetime.

And it's very sad to think that what you may see here in the Honolulu Zoo on display, your children may never get a chance to see these animals if they do become extinct.

So, one of the things that we try to do is keep that from happening.

And we would like anybody watching this to also do whatever they can to try to help keep that from happening as well.

So, these animals can be here for the next generation and the generations to come after that.

(instrumental music) Kalaʻi Miller / Home is Here: Thank you for joining us.

Go to pbshawaii.org for bonus features from this episode including tips on how you can save water.

For Home is Here, I’m Kalaʻi Miller, a hui hou.

Peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

What we do here at the Board of Water supply has been basically, we have the health and welfare of our community and in our hands, in our responsibility.

And so for me, like, food is important.

As you can see my physique, I'm not a skinny guy too, right?

I love to eat, right?

I love to eat.

I love to try new things.

Caterpillars need to be cleaned a lot because they eat an awful lot of leaves.

They grow very fast, and they produce a lot of caterpillar poop.