Almost a year ago, thousands of Oahu military families learned from the Navy that their water system had been contaminated by jet fuel that leaked from the Red Hill bulk fuel storage facility.

They finally had an explanation for their symptoms, but parents of young children and pregnant women were consumed with anguish, worried about the long-term health effects of their exposure. The need to vacate their homes further upended their lives.

As a community, we were appalled. They say that time heals, but now that almost a year has elapsed, the anger and pain are still fresh and real for many. It served as a cautionary tale, a reminder of the need to make protecting and preserving our water supply top priorities.

Every October, the Board of Water Supply (BWS) commemorates a national observance called “Imagine a Day Without Water” to focus on the value of fresh, potable water. This year, the annual recognition on Oct. 20 takes on greater significance.

For nearly a year, we’ve had to live with the sobering prospect of a water shortage and having to imagine a day without water. We did not need a hypothetical scenario to scare us nor did we have to look to a developing country to make us appreciate our easy access to fresh water. We had a real incident unfolding right here in Hawaii.

Over the past year, the BWS has reached out to thousands of concerned individuals. We have conducted countless meetings with various community and business organizations to provide updates. We have made timely, accurate information and transparency imperative in all of our communications.

In looking at the situation earlier this year, the BWS issued a water alert calling for a 10% reduction in water use. The odds seemed to be stacked against us. Our water pumps were working at full capacity to reroute water to offset shortages as a result of closing down our Halawa shaft and Aiea and Halawa wells. There was a significant decrease in rainfall and erratic weather patterns offered no predictability. The approaching hot summer months, when water use typically increases, also presented a challenge.

We knew we had to take collective action. Our community understood and accepted their kuleana. We must all continue to return to the notion of imagining a way without water to stay on our path.

Our unrelenting efforts have paid off so far. Based on our water pumping rate, the barometer of water use, the Honolulu metropolitan area has been holding steady to prevent a water shortage.

I wish we could say the worst is over, but we are not out of the clear yet. We cannot become complacent and the BWS and other government partners are looking at other ways to reduce water use.

This year, for example, our “Imagine a Day Without Water” outreach and educational initiatives are focused on reuse or recycled water. This includes using rainwater for your garden and lawn instead of turning on your outdoor faucet and using fresh water. It may also include institutional solutions such as processing wastewater for golf courses, industrial use, and agriculture. There are more possibilities on the horizon.

It has no doubt been a very challenging year, but we recognize we are still in the preliminary steps of protecting Oahu’s aquifer located just beneath the Red Hill bulk fuel storage facility and securing funding for long-term solutions to ensure a steady water supply for Oahu residents and businesses. We must never give up.

Ernie Lau is manager and chief engineer of the Board of Water Supply.