Moving Mountains: Protecting Wai with Ernest Y.W. Lau, Honolulu Board of Water Supply

This Civil Liberties & the Constitution Day, we honor Ernest “Ernie” Lau, Kiai Wai (water protector) and Manager and Chief Engineer of Honolulu’s Board of Water Supply.

For years, Ernie Lau and his colleague Erwin Kawata felt ignored when they expressed concerns about the US military’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Facility. Why didn’t anyone pay attention? Was it inevitable that nothing would be done? What lessons have we learned?

Ernie Lau will share his story as a courageous public servant who refused to stay silent, and discuss why we each have an individual and collective kuleana to stand up to institutional indifference. Hawaii youth, families, workers, and lawmakers of all backgrounds are encouraged to attend, with a goal to bring caring community members together. There is much all of us can learn about how to improve the legal system that requires proactive consideration of potential impacts on stakeholders, fragile precious resources, and essential community values.

This program is sponsored by the Hawaii State Bar Association’s Civic Education Committee in partnership with the King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center.

Ernest Lau is Manager and Chief Engineer of Honolulu’s Board of Water Supply. Lau previously served as the administrator of the Public Works Division under the State Department of Accounting and General Services and as Deputy Director of the State Commission on Water Resource Management, Department of Land and Natural Resources. From 1996 to 2003, Lau was Manager and Chief Engineer of the Kauai Department of Water.