Keep our Water Clean

Update on the Red Hill Jet Fuel Leaks

Public Meeting Red Hill Jet Fuel Leak UpdateMonday June 27, 2016 at 2PMHonolulu Board of Water Supply, room 311630 South Beretania Street

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply has called the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Hawaiʻi Department of Health to a public meeting on Monday to answer questions and address concerns about the handling of the jet fuel leaks at Red Hill.  The public is encouraged to attend the public meeting at the Board of Water Supply headquarters. Hawaiʻi’s Department of Health entered into an “Agreement on Consent” with the U.S. Navy and Environmental Protection Agency in September 2015 to map out a plan for addressing the public outcry following the latest jet fuel leak at this facility.

The three agencies must demonstrate that the fuel storage facility in Red Hill has no detrimental effect on the environment, especially the drinking water supply.  This means cleaning up contaminants already in the environment, ensuring no future leaks, and broadly monitoring for any effects on public health. If this burden cannot be met, then it is in the public’s best interest to retire this particular storage facility.

Groundwater monitoring since the leak in 2014 document elevated levels of jet fuel contaminants near the facility.  These tanks are located less than 100 feet above the aquifer connected to the drinking water supply for a quarter of Oʻahu’s population. The responsible agencies do not appear to be acting quickly enough to clean up legacy contamination and prevent future leaks from occurring.

Background Materials:EPA's Red Hill Update (March 2016)Honolulu Board of Water Supply's comments in response to the narrowed scope of work at Red Hill (June 3, 2016)