Delayed Notification Of Toxic Chemicals In Red Hill Water Draws Criticism

TL;DR - The Navy and regulators are facing a fresh wave of criticism following news that officials detected toxic chemicals in the Red Hill drinking water well last year but did not tell the public. 

The chemicals known as PFAS were detected in samples taken from the Red Hill well on Dec. 20 and 27 last year after it was discovered that fuel from the Navy’s Red Hill storage facility had contaminated the drinking water. But the information wasn’t publicized until Hawaii News Now reported it on Friday. 

The Hawaii Department of Health and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were aware of the detections as early as March, according to a letter the agencies wrote to the Navy, but they didn’t announce the findings. And in April, state toxicologist Diana Felton told Civil Beat that tests for PFAS at Red Hill had come up negative. 

December 13, 2022: Delayed Notification Of Toxic Chemicals In Red Hill Water Draws Criticism, Honolulu Civil Beat