Op-Ed: Red Hill water tanks need much better care
Jamm Jaquino / jaquino@ staradvertiser.com
Elin Warn Betanzo, drinking water expert, founder of Safe Water Engineering, LLC, and former member of the Environmental Protection Agency's National Drinking Water Advisory Council; and Susan Gorman Chang, chairperson of the Red Hill Community Representation Initiative, representing community interests in defueling/closure of the Red Hill Underground Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, wrote this Op Ed for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
When the Navy confirmed jet fuel contaminated Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam's (JBPHH's) drinking water, it exposed more than a fuel spill. It revealed serious failures at the Red Hill fuel facility and years of poor oversight of the JBPHH water system. Years later, key repairs and upgrades remain unfinished. Current decisions raise concerns about ongoing drinking water risk beyond the fuel spill contamination.
Excerpt:
The Navy must act now to improve the JBPHH system:
Sample sediment from all drinking water storage tanks for microbial contaminants, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and PFAS contaminants.
Design and implement a program to sample emptying tank outlets.
Accelerate construction of new tanks S1 and S2 to improve backup capacity. The Navy should provide an update for when the new S2 tank will be online.
Inspect and clean the Camp Smith tank or accelerate the replacement timeline.
Be transparent. Promptly publish sampling results, remediation plans and progress updates in clearlanguage. Continue meeting with the Red Hill Community Representation Initiative."
JBPHH residents want the same thing any community wants: a water system that is dependable and provides safe water. Completing overdue work, communicating clearly and engaging with the impacted community are essential to rebuilding trust and protecting families from avoidable risks.