The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) received results of two sets of samples collected from the Navy water system in the last 10 days.
On Nov. 24, prior to reports from the public of fuel-like odors in tap water, DOH collected two drinking water samples from the Red Hill water supply shaft. These samples were collected as a part of routine testing, one before water passed through the chlorination system and one after water had passed through the chlorination system.
The results of the sample analyses suggest a trace amount of heavy oil in the samples well below drinking water thresholds and not clearly related to petroleum fuel.
The second set of samples were collected on Nov. 29, after the Navy and DOH received reports of fuel-like odors in tap water from the Navy water system.
Six samples collected on Nov. 29 were transported to Eurofins Scientific in California. Four of the samples were damaged in transit and were unable to be tested. The remaining two samples were collected at Nimitz Elementary School and Pearl Harbor Elementary School. These two samples tested negative for petroleum products.
DOH has not received enough results from water sampling to determine if the tap water is petroleum-free. DOH continues to collect samples. Since Monday, DOH has received 494 complaints from Navy water system users.
DOH recommends all Navy water system users should avoid using the water for drinking, cooking, or oral hygiene. Navy water system users who detect a fuel-like odor from their water should also avoid using the water for bathing, dishwashing or laundry. This recommendation applies to users of the Navy’s Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) water system, including the Aliamanu Military Reservation, Red Hill and Nimitz Elementary Schools and military housing.
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