EPA says it’s not sure Navy plan to flush fuel-tainted water lines will work

TL;DR - The Environmental Protection Agency says it’s not sure that the Navy’s plan to flush tainted water from its system will even work.

Critics have worried fuel could leach into pipes and at the Navy’s update Friday, experts seemed to validate those concerns.

The EPA was asked: “How will this flushing clean the pipes? If the pipes are made of plastic is there chance the fuel might leach that contamination might leach into the pipes?”

Karl Banks, an EPA environmental engineer, responded:

“As a civil engineer and water expert with EPA really trying to bring the best available science to these decisions, I cannot definitively say it will work.”

January 21, 2022: EPA says it’s not sure Navy plan to flush fuel-tainted water lines will work, Hawaiʻi News Now