Additional Coverage:
**Honolulu’s Drinking Water Faces Threat from Navy Fuel Leak at Red Hill**
In Honolulu, concerns are mounting over the safety of the city’s water supply following potential contamination linked to an underground fuel leak from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, a Navy-operated site at Pearl Harbor. The facility, which has been in use since 1943, has been responsible for at least 73 fuel leaks over the years, with recent incidents in 2021 and 2014 highlighting the risk of jet fuel seeping into the drinking water.
The Red Hill facility, designed to hold a staggering 250 million gallons of fuel, is built within Hawaii’s porous volcanic rock – a factor that complicates the prevention and remediation of leaks. As there is no established federal drinking water standard specifically for jet fuel, which may also contain additives to prevent freezing, the potential health impacts on the local population are a significant concern.
In response to the threat, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply took the proactive step of shutting down the well closest to the Red Hill storage tanks. The city is now seeking $1.2 billion in federal aid to not only replace the compromised well but also to implement measures to safeguard the rest of its water supply against contamination.
Ernie Lau, the Chief Engineer of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, has voiced his apprehensions regarding the situation. He emphasizes the need for the Navy to undertake an immediate and thorough clean-up of the fuel at Red Hill to prevent further contamination. According to Lau, the impact of the fuel leaks could be felt for generations, given the complexity of removing fuel that has seeped deep into the porous lava rock beneath the storage facility.
The situation at Red Hill poses a significant threat to the health and safety of Honolulu’s residents, underscoring the urgent need for action to address the contamination and protect the city’s water supply for the future.