Red Hill Water Information

To protect public health and the environment for all of Hawai‘i, DOH maintains this page to provide information related to the U.S. Navy’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

News Orders, Plans, and DOH Letters   Amendments Survey Feedback Resources

 

Ongoing issues:

Last updated August 24, 2023

November 29, 2022 AFFF Release (HEER Incident Case No. 20221129-1438)

DOH Emergency Order – Defueling Phase (of the Closure Plan)

DOH Emergency Order – Closure Phase (of the Closure Plan)

Long-Term Monitoring of Navy Drinking Water System

  • DOH continues to oversee the Navy’s long-term drinking water monitoring plan, which requires two years of monitoring of homes, schools, childcare facilities, and other buildings on the Navy water system.
  • For test results within the JBPHH and AMR Distribution, please visit the Navy’s Safe Waters website.
  • Drinking water testing results were from samples collected from November 31, 2021 through December 21, 2021 are available here. These samples were collected in response to water quality complaints and were analyzed by the DOH, State Laboratory Division.
  • The Navy water system call center remains open for any concerns regarding customer water quality. Contact the Navy at:
    • (808) 449-1979
    • (808) 448-3262
    • (808) 448-2557
    • (808) 448-2570
    • (808) 448-2583

Aquifer Monitoring and Recovery

  • Monitoring wells beneath the Red Hill tanks continue to show intermittent elevated levels of fuel contaminants since the May and November 2021 fuel releases.
  • Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations at the Red Hill tank farm appear to be declining at most wells.
  • For current TPH environmental action levels (EALs) applicable to JBPHH drinking water and Red Hill Shaft groundwater, view DOH’s April 2022 technical memo. Additional info is available on DOH’s EAL webpage.
  • On February 2, 2023, DOH published a technical memo estimating the nature and magnitude of contaminants in groundwater in the immediate vicinity of Red Hill Shaft. Click here to view the memo.
Red Hill Shaft Filtration and Discharge into Halawa Stream

 

  • DOH continues to enforce its NPDES permit on the Navy’s granular activated carbon (GAC) water filtration system from Red Hill Shaft and discharge into Halawa Stream.
  • The Navy is required to provide monthly reports on contaminant testing and stream inspections. DOH carefully evaluates the reports for a number of contaminants and environmental impacts.
  • The latest data received from the Navy shows no detections of TPH from GAC discharge and no impacts to Halawa Stream.
  • Download the latest compliance reports here.

JBPHH November 2021 JP-5 Exposure Assessment (last updated August 14, 2023)

  • Overview of Exposure Assessment (recorded YouTube presentation)
  • Please refer to page 2 of the report PDF for a summary of updates.
  • This report summarizes exposure of JBPHH residents to JP-5 jet fuel following the November 20, 2021 release from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. The report uses the best available information to model and estimate exposure concentrations in a threefold approach:
    1. Provide a summary of key contaminants of potential concern (COPCs) associated with contamination of the JBPHH drinking water system with JP-5 jet fuel in November 2021;
    2. Provide an estimate of Reasonable Maximum Exposure (RME) concentrations associated with the COPCs at and leading up to the peak of contamination within the system;
    3. Provide information regarding the estimated duration of exposure; and
    4. Identify compounds that could have posed potential health risks.
  • Exposure Assessment
  • ATT #3 Red Hill Lab Report
  • ATT #4 Water-Fuel Experiment Lab Report
  • ATT #9 Lab Reports (ZIP)

News Releases

August 28, 2023 | DOH Conditionally Approves Red Hill Repairs, Repacking Plan

July 12, 2023 | DOH Conditionally Approves Defueling of Red Hill Surge Tanks 

June 24, 2023 | DOH Conditionally Approves Red Hill Defueling Plan

 

Orders, Plans, and DOH Letters

 

Test Results

 

Health Impact Survey

The DOH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC/ATSDR) conducted a follow-up survey in September 2022 to learn more about the experience of people affected by the petroleum contamination in the U.S. Navy’s Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam drinking water system.

View Follow-Up Survey Results

 

The initial Assessment of Chemical Exposure health impact survey conducted in January and February 2022 had over 2,200 participants. People submitted 2,289 survey responses. 

View Initial Survey Results

 

Feedback

Still experiencing issues with your water? Please report issues here or contact DOH’s Safe Water Drinking Branch at (808) 586-4258 or [email protected].

Report an Issue

 

Resources

FAQ

 

Navy Installations Command Website – Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Water Resources and Updates

Thumbnail of DOH HEER Office PFAS Website Red Hill Clinic (Makalapa) Flyer
Thumbnail of DOH HEER Office PFAS Website Red Hill Clinic FAQ Website
Thumbnail of DOH HEER Office PFAS Website DOH HEER Office PFAS Website
Thumbnail of Actions to Evaluate and Reduce the Risk of PFAS in Hawaii Fact Sheet Fact Sheet: Actions to Evaluate and Reduce the Risk of PFAS in Hawaii
Thumbnail of General PFAS Information Fact Sheet Fact Sheet: General PFAS Information
Thumbnail of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Water: Health Effects Fact Sheet Fact Sheet: Health Effects of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Water
What are Petroleum Hydrocarbons? Fact Sheet: What Are Petroleum Hydrocarbons? 
First page of medical advisory on petroleum exposure Medical Advisory (for Providers): Drinking Water Petroleum Exposure
Are you worried about the water, soil, or air in your community? Fact Sheet: Are you worried about the water, soil, or air in your community? (also available in Spanish)
Worried About Your Community's Water, Soil, OR Air? Managing Stress and Working Toward Positive Change Video: Stress: A Normal Response to Environmental Contamination
Health Assessment of Residents Impacted by Navy Water Contamination CLOSED – Health Assessment of Residents Impacted by Navy Water Contamination