Is the Navy poisoning Hawaii’s drinking water? This is what we know

2021-12-14 22:39:51 By : Ms. Lisa Kong

Released on December 13, 2021, 12:36 PM EST

Aloha state is currently experiencing environmental injustice.

After discovering that tap water was contaminated with dangerously high concentrations of diesel, residents of the military base on Oahu were strongly asked to avoid drinking tap water. It is unclear how many homes and schools have been affected in this way, although many have accused the Navy of effectively poisoning drinking water through negligence.

Thousands of families were relocated, and two wells in the area were closed. Hope this problem can be resolved-although some people have to be hospitalized after ingesting contaminated water.

According to the New York Times, Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, said at a public hearing on Friday, December 10: "The Navy is responsible for this crisis." "We have a solution. Ownership, we will fix it. We are solving this problem."

We are water protectors on Oahu, and we ask the U.S. Navy to unload and decommission the Red Mountain Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. Ola i ka wai-Water is life! #ShutDownRedHill pic.twitter.com/c9p7udsiOZ

As mentioned earlier, it seems that the Navy may be responsible for the pollution of the tap water at the military base on Oahu. According to Yahoo! According to sources, residents of the Pearl Harbor-Hickam Joint Base complained as early as last month that the tap water tasted like gasoline and smelled like gasoline. The Navy has just responded. Hawaiian health officials announced on Friday that Red Mountain Well, which is supervised by the Navy, tested positive and contained high levels of gasoline and diesel-range hydrocarbons.

In fact, tests have shown that its gasoline level is more than 300 times the level considered safe by the country. It is estimated that approximately 93,000 people are affected, many of whom are hospitalized with symptoms such as gastrointestinal and respiratory problems, skin rashes and headaches. About 3,000 families were resettled and bottled water was distributed to people on the island.

As of now, three wells have been closed.

In addition to drinking water, residents are also asked to avoid using water for cooking, bathing, washing dishes or washing clothes.

"This level of pollutants poses a threat to public health and is considered unsafe," said Kathleen Hofrom of the Hawaii Department of Health, according to Yahoo! news. "We will continue to take all possible actions to protect public health and the environment."

The statement continued: "This includes the consumption of pets."

The ongoing naval water crisis on Oahu finally attracted national attention on @CBSNews. At least 93,000 people on Oahu do not have clean water. Officials worry that this problem will only get worse. The Navy is facing increasing criticism. #HawaiiNews pic.twitter.com/S5sIWhmjN2

In addition to taking immediate action—to prevent more families from getting sick—the Hawaiian Department of Health also ordered the Navy to cease operations at the Red Mountain bulk fuel storage facility, where the leak is believed to have started. According to CNN, residents also demand more action and accountability for those who are sick.

Health officials also hope that the Navy will install a drinking water treatment system in Red Mountain, remove fuel from storage tanks, and develop an action plan to ensure that all possible precautions are taken.

"The well-being of Hawaii and the safety of our residents (including military families) must be the first priority. If we do not ensure public health and safety, we cannot have national security," Hawaii Governor David Ige tweeted .

"There are still some important questions to answer, and the order will help solve this problem."

I hope that every effort will be made to protect the residents of Oahu and the future generations living there, and to prevent history from repeating itself.

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