Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility
On the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, over 1,000 military families have been forced from their homes and suffered illness by drinking water apparently contaminated by petroleum from a leaking, World War II era, underground fuel storage facility on the base in Oahu, Hawaii.
The Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility is located 100 feet above the Red Hill aquifer — which supplies drinking water to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and other areas of Hawaii.
Testing has revealed petroleum hydrocarbons and vapors in the water, the Navy said. US Pacific Fleet Deputy Commander Rear Adm. Blake Converse confirmed a petroleum leak was the cause.
The families at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam have lambasted the military’s response so far, complaining in town halls that uniformed commanders and top civilian leadership were slow to respond after reports that foul-smelling tap water bearing an oily sheen was linked to symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, and intense headaches.
Those who elected to leave their homes on base have been put up in hotels, Navy spokesperson Lydia Robertson said, and commanders have provided shower facilities and medical treatment for affected families.
The Washington Post notes that after the Japanese attack 80 years ago, the Navy — concerned its aboveground fuel depots were vulnerable — carved out a massive underground facility deep into the basalt rock at Red Hill on Oahu. The tanks, which are above an aquifer that feeds the base and civilian communities alike, are used to fuel military vehicles, ships and aircraft operating in the Pacific.
The system has been plagued with problems for years, including a leak of 27,000 gallons of fuel in 2014. In October 2021, the Hawaii Department of Health fined the Navy $325,000 over various violations stemming from a 2020 inspection, including failures to perform tests designed to prevent negligent spills and detect inadvertent releases.
The Navy hasn’t paid the fine because it contesting some of the findings and thinks the issues can be resolved through “good faith discussions,” Roberston said.
The Navy suspended fuel-transfer operations from the underground tanks Nov. 27 as it began investigating complaints from Navy housing communities of foul-smelling tap water. For the time being, the service is using fuel from above-ground tanks.
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro is considering the permanent closure of the massive underground Red Hill fuel storage facility on Oahu in the wake of widespread petroleum contamination of nearby drinking water.
“We’re looking at all options, and all options are on the table, certainly,” Del Toro told reporters during a news conference at U.S. Pacific Fleet headquarters on the joint base.