Navy pushes back completion date for cleaning of Red Hill water system

TL;DR - The Navy’s plan to restore safe drinking water to residents in and around Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, which includes flushing and testing water lines, isn’t expected to be completed until the end of January, according to top Navy officials who briefed state legislators about their plans on Wednesday morning. However, some military families who have been displaced by the water contamination could begin moving home as soon as late next week in what is expected to be a staggered process.

The new timeline is a significant expansion from the Navy’s assessments in early December that it could clean up its water system, which was contaminated with jet fuel in late November, in just a couple of weeks. More than 4,000 military families have moved out of their homes because of the contamination, including about 3,400 who have been living out of hotel rooms, primarily in Waikiki.

December 29, 2021: Navy pushes back completion date for cleaning of Red Hill water system, Honolulu Star Advertiser