Ernest Lau

Ernest Y.W. Lau serves as Manager and Chief Engineer of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply (BWS). In this role, he is responsible for the overall strategic direction and management of the BWS, with a focus on furthering the department’s mission to provide a safe and dependable water supply, now and into the future.

Lau previously served as the administrator of the Public Works Division under the State Department of Accounting and General Services, where he oversaw the planning, coordinating, directing, and controlling of a statewide program of engineering, architectural, and construction services. Before that, Lau worked as Deputy Director of the State Commission on Water Resource Management with the Department of Land and Natural Resources where he worked collaboratively with the Commission members to set policies and make decisions in accordance with the State Water Code. He also served as the Manager and Chief Engineer of the Kauai Department of Water from 1996 to 2003 and as Deputy Manager from 1995 to 1996. Prior to that position, he worked for the City and County of Honolulu BWS for more than 14 years as an engineer in Long Range Planning and Water Systems Planning.

Lau has championed One Water throughout his career. He led a unified, community-driven approach to protecting Hawaii’s interconnected water resources, notably through his advocacy of the Red Hill crisis, emphasizing the aquifer as a single, vital system. He has been recognized statewide and nationally – from being honored at Hawaii’s 2024 Civil Liberties & the Constitution Day for his principled leadership and advocacy as a courageous public servant, to leading an award-winning public water system that earned the U.S. Water Prize through building a cohesive network of One Water investments and partnerships, and receiving a Hawaii House resolution for his enduring role in protecting the state’s water resources and inspiring community stewardship.