Editorial: Navy’s ineptness put Oahu at risk

TL;DR - After all the jarring disclosures that have come to light over the course of the Navy’s water contamination crisis, there was still more startling news for Oahu’s angry and worried public, unveiled right before a long holiday weekend.

And these facts were truly shocking: The finally-disclosed contents of the Navy’s investigation of the Red Hill fuel storage facility uncovered the incompetent handling of two separate 2021 incidents in May and November that fouled Oahu’s underground water aquifer.

Just skimming from the report shows how stunningly inept the work had been. The investigation found that about 5,542 gallons of fuel ultimately flowed from the tanks into the environment. The November release, much larger than what was initially disclosed, was not contained for 30 hours, eventually manifesting in illness and burns among the residents who consumed or handled the foul water.

July 3, 2022: Editorial: Navy’s ineptness put Oahu at risk, Honolulu Star-Advertiser