DOH orders Navy to retest Waiawa Shaft after complaints from users
The state Department of Health today ordered the Navy to retest Waiawa Shaft after being informed of about 50 tap water and air quality complaints from Navy water system users.
“DOH is taking these reports seriously and as the state regulator for Hawaiʻi’s water purveyors, the department continues to conduct oversight of the Navy’s water distribution system,” the department said in a news release.
Word of the complaints came from a Red Hill Community Representation Initiative member, the DOH said.
The Waiawa Shaft serves as the water source for the Navy water distribution system. Petroleum was not detected in samples collected from Waiawa Shaft in October, the DOH said.
The department said it requested contact information for each of the complaints, so that DOH staff can conduct on-site inspections and collect and test water samples, among other things.
Navy Region Hawaii issued a statement saying anyone with medical concerns should immediately contact their primary care manager.
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The Navy also said water concerns can be reported, and in-home testing can be requested, without fear of reprisal. The Navy will provide bottled water to residents until validated test results from the EPA-certified laboratory confirm that the water meets federal and state safe drinking water standards.
The Rapid Response teams will respond within 24 hours to schedule rapid response testing and Long-Term Monitoring sampling.
“The Navy is committed to working with the community to address all drinking water concerns. Reporting concerns helps provide valuable information as the Navy addresses questions regarding the drinking water,” the Navy said.
Customers with concerns about their water should report them to any or all of the below options:
>>Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Emergency Operations Center (24/7) a (808) 449-1979.
>>Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) Safe Drinking Water Branch at (808) 586-4258 or SDWB@doh.hawaii.gov.
·>>Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Desk line at (415) 947-4406.
According to the Navy: “Since December 2021, the Navy’s water has been solely sourced by the Waiawa Shaft, which is more than six miles from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. The water is monitored and tested regularly under the interagency-approved Drinking Water Long-Term Monitoring plan, which ensures it meets DOH and EPA standards for safe drinking water.”
