The U.S. military announced the completion of draining millions of gallons of fuel from an underground tank complex in Hawaii that contaminated the drinking water of 6,000 individuals after a jet fuel leak into Pearl Harbor in 2021.
Commencing in October, Joint Task Force Red Hill underwent defueling operations following extensive repairs to an outdated pipe system to prevent further leaks from the World War II-era facility while removing 104 million gallons of fuel from the tanks.
On Thursday, the responsibility for the tanks was transferred to Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill, a new command spearheaded by Rear Adm. Stephen D. Barnett. This task force is entrusted with permanently decommissioning the tanks, executing environmental cleanup, and restoring the aquifer beneath.
Vice Adm. John Wade, the commander of the defueling task force, expressed in a video released on Wednesday that Barnett comprehends "the enormity and importance" of the assignment.
Wade emphasized that the new task force's objective is to "safely and promptly close the facility to ensure clean water and to carry out the necessary long-term environmental remediation."
The decision was made by the military to empty the tanks following a major spill in 2021 that caused public outrage in Hawaii and raised concerns about the potential threat to Honolulu's water supply. These tanks are positioned above an aquifer that serves as a water source for 400,000 residents in urban Honolulu, including the areas of Waikiki and downtown.
The Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, constructed by the military, is located within a mountain ridge to provide protection against aerial attacks. Each of the 20 tanks is as tall as a 25-story building and has a capacity of 12.5 million gallons.
While the Navy did reprimand three retired military officers for their involvement in the spill, no one was terminated or suspended as a result.
Following the discovery of the spill, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply took immediate action to halt the pumping of water from the aquifer beneath the fuel tanks in order to prevent any leaked fuel from contaminating the city's water supply. The utility is currently exploring alternative water sources, as the Pearl Harbor aquifer was the most productive and supplied approximately 20% of the city's water consumption.
