Navy to Reactivate Oahu Wells Amid Red Hill Concerns

HONOLULU, HAWAII - More than three years after shutting down two of its Oahu water wells due to the Red Hill water crisis, the US Navy is looking to reopen them. The state Department of Health has granted the Navy "conditional approval" to work towards reactivating its Aiea-Halawa Shaft.

The Navy has also released a draft environmental impact statement on building water treatment facilities that would allow it to reactivate the fuel-contaminated Red Hill Shaft. The Navy is soliciting public feedback on the plan until Sunday. The Red Hill facility, which sits 100 feet above an aquifer serving most of Honolulu, was shut down permanently after fuel contamination affected the Navy's Oahu water system, serving 93,000 people.

Representatives of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply and the Red Hill Community Representation Initiative have raised concerns about the reactivation plans, particularly regarding public notification. CRI member Ilima DeCosta expressed concern that the Department of Health didn't inform the public about the conditional approval.

The Department of Health's conditional approval requires the Navy to meet 12 conditions before reactivating the Aiea-Halawa Shaft. These conditions include reporting on sampling results, removing "forever chemicals," and providing at least 10 days' notice before reactivation.

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply has expressed concerns about uncertainty over underground water flow, questioning whether reactivating the Aiea-Halawa Shaft could draw contaminants from the Red Hill Shaft. The Department of Health insists that the Navy's groundwater flow model is flawed and that several factors would prevent water from the Red Hill Shaft from contaminating the Aiea-Halawa Shaft.

The Navy plans to construct an interim water treatment facility to reconnect the Red Hill Shaft to the drinking water system. The facility, expected to be completed in 2026, will filter water using Granular Activated Carbon. However, no timeline has been given for the completion of a permanent water treatment plant.

US Rep. Jill Tokuda emphasized the bipartisan commitment to the Red Hill cleanup, stating, "In order to ensure readiness, we need to make sure that we are literally not poisoning our service members' water." The Navy and the EPA have faced criticism for their handling of the crisis, including a $5,000 fine for violating the federal consent order.

The Navy is required to conduct an environmental assessment and solicit public feedback under the National Environmental Policy Act. If the assessment determines significant impact, a formal Environmental Impact Statement will be crafted. The public can provide feedback on the draft environmental impact statement until Sunday.