A team of public health workers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has begun surveying civilians affected by petroleum contamination in the Navy’s drinking water system that serves Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and its surrounding neighborhoods.

The CDC team, under the direction of the state Department of Health, is surveying civilians living in homes that are on the Navy’s water system and is also seeking to interview people who may have been exposed to the water contamination through their job or school.

The survey will initially focus on the Kapilina Beach Homes neighborhood, which includes an estimated 900 civilian households, according to DOH spokeswoman Kaitlin Arita-Chang.

“Contamination of the Navy’s water system has reached far beyond the military community,” said DOH toxicologist Dr. Diana Felton in a news release. “It is vital that we document and track how this incident affected all Hawai‘i residents. This effort will help us better understand the impacts of this contamination event and determine what steps are needed to protect the health of civilians who were exposed.”

While the military created a registry weeks ago that will help track any long-term health effects of drinking or having contact with the petroleum-laced water, civilians were not included.

Pregnant women and parents with infants have been particularly vocal during town hall meetings and interviews with the news media about their concerns of potential health effects from the chemicals in petroleum. Residents in late November began reporting symptoms associated with drinking and having contact with the water, including skin rashes, vomiting, diarrhea and headaches. Some residents also have reported that their pets got sick and even died.

The CDC team will survey civilian residents about how they, their children and any pets were exposed to the contaminated water, any health symptoms they experienced and medical care they sought, according to DOH. The CDC workers also will survey residents about their health status prior to the petroleum contamination and how they can be contacted in the future.

The survey will help determine any future health monitoring, and results will be summarized in a public report.

The surveys, which are expected to take about 20 minutes, will be conducted in person or by phone. DOH says a web-based survey is also being developed.

Civilians on the Navy’s water system who would like to participate in the survey can contact the CDC team at 404-657-3256 or email ATSDRACE@cdc.gov.