'1,000 Steps Backward': Navy Says Its Vast Testing Of Pearl Harbor Water Has Been Flawed

‘1,000 Steps Backward’: Navy Says Its Vast Testing Of Pearl Harbor Water Has Been Flawed

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM- Hannah Brumby, a Navy contractor, collects a water sample as part of the Navy’s Drinking Water Long-Term Monitoring program at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Jan. 31, 2024. The ongoing monitoring efforts are part of the Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill’s (NCTF-RH) enduring, long-term commitment to ensure the safety of the environment and public health. Charged with the safe closure of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF), NCTF-RH was established by the Department of the Navy as a commitment to the community and the environment. The task force is forming and expects to take on responsibilities for Red Hill from Joint Task Force-Red Hill in early Spring 2024. NCTF-RH continues to engage in conversations in formal and informal forums with the people of Hawaii, regulatory agencies, and experts and officials to keep stakeholders informed as the Navy works to safely and deliberately close the RHBFSF. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist Seaman Krystal Diaz)

Following a U.S. Navy fuel leak that contaminated Pearl Harbor’s drinking water in 2021, the Navy tested some 8,000 samples to ensure the water had been flushed of impurities. Throughout the testing, the Navy maintained the results were proof the water was safe. But now, military officials are acknowledging the testing method they’ve been using … Continue reading ‘1,000 Steps Backward’: Navy Says Its Vast Testing Of Pearl Harbor Water Has Been Flawed