Water contamination in Hawaii is causing people to take action to protect their water quality
Hawaii Petroleum Leak shows the Importance of Water Testing
Water is a crucial element in all of our lives. We consume it, clean with it, bathe in it. When a water source is contaminated, it remains an ongoing problem until the contamination can be identified and the water is treated. Contaminated drinking water can also cause disastrous and long term health effects.
Read below to learn about Hawaii’s current problem with contaminated water and how you can help.
The situation
A petroleum leak in Hawaii has resulted in huge repercussions for local communities. In late November, a leak of 14,000 gallons of petroleum jet fuel occurred at the Navy’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The facility is located directly above an aquifer which serves as a crucial water source for surrounding areas. The aquifer is the largest water source for the entire island of Oahu, supplying over 75% of the island’s freshwater. Since the leak’s discovery, over 700 people have been displaced from their homes because of the contaminated water supply.
The Discovery
In late November, families living on the Pearl Harbor-Hickam military base began to report health problems including headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and skin rashes. Residents also reported an obvious odor from their water. The health problems were determined to have been caused by consumption and household use of contaminated water from the Red Hill water well.
Once tested, the water was revealed to have petroleum levels well beyond what is deemed safe for drinking water.
The quick outcry of concerned citizens forced the state into action to shut down the base and begin mitigating actions to move citizens to safer locations and begin the decontamination process. Residents took on the role of citizen scientists with the interest and power to recognize the problem and demand change. The responsibility to advocate for their own health and safety has, unfortunately, become the task of everyday citizens.
The Impacts
Contaminated water from the Red Hill well has been pumped directly to the taps of military households on base. Residents of the navy base have been forced to relocate or live off of bottled water to avoid negative health effects from the contaminated water.
While the current reported impacts on public health are from residents of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, this pollution has the potential to affect an even greater area.
Contamination of groundwater goes beyond impacting just the immediate area. There is a high likelihood that the contamination leaked beyond the Red Hill well and into the aquifer that supplies it. If the aquifer becomes polluted, drinking water for the entire surrounding region is at risk. Because the aquifer supplies the majority of freshwater for the island, contamination of this water has the potential to severely impact the lives of Oahu residents.
Ongoing Problem
Military bases are a large source of water contamination. This situation demonstrates that the large quantities of hazardous materials kept at military facilities hold a high potential for leakage and mishandling.
There is a history of fuel leaks at this very facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. This year alone, there have been two fuel leaks from the facility. Since past leaks, the base has been urged to develop a better containment strategy and install a leak detection system. Leaks have been deemed a chronic risk and treated as almost inevitable.
Because of the devastating impacts that come from contaminated water, preventative measures should be taken where possible to protect public health and safety.
The role of water testing
Testing was a key resource in revealing petroleum hydrocarbons and vapors in the military base’s well water and tap water. Petroleum is known to carry carcinogens and other harmful toxins. These are poisonous when ingested or handled. Testing water samples helped identify what contaminants and in what quantities existed in the water supply.
Water testing is used to reveal any contaminants present in the water. Water testing is conducted by collecting a sample from a water source. This sample is then tested in a lab. Results from these tests will reveal what contaminants are in the water.
Water can be tested for different types of contaminants. Examples of these are inorganic compounds, like lead and other metals, and organic compounds, including petroleum, pesticides, and PFAS.
While water testing can happen at the state level, new innovative companies have made it available to everyday citizens. The situation in Hawaii shows that the people affected are often given the responsibility to identify the problem and voice concerns. By conducting their own water testing, people are able to learn the true state of their water quality.
What you can do
This event has encouraged an overall concern for water quality. Activist groups and concerned citizens are taking steps to ensure that their water is of adequate cleanliness by seeking out water testing kits.
Two activist organizations, WILPF-US (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom) and Military Poisons, are working to get water test kits to Oahu to discover the levels of contamination in the drinking water. The groups are calling for donations to help purchase petroleum and PFAS water test kits.
Petroleum Testing
Tap Score offers a Petroleum Products Water Test Kit. This product tests for BTEX compounds which refers to the chemicals benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene that occur naturally in petroleum. After successful use of this kit, the group would receive a report outlining the levels of the substances present in the water, the potential for health risks, and a comparison to public health guidelines and state regulations.
PFAS Testing
Cyclopure offers PFAS water test kits. This product tests for 17 PFAS chemicals, including PFOA, PFOS and GenX. PFAS are micropollutants that contaminate water supplies and can lead to long term health impacts. They are forever chemicals which means they do not naturally break down.
The military leak creates the possibility of additional contaminants entering the water supply. PFAS are of high concern when considering water contamination from a military facility. PFAS exists in high quantities in fire fighting foam used on military bases. The leak has been reported as coming from a fire suppression drain line tunnel in the base. The pollution event has the possibility of not only contaminating the water with petroleum but also PFAS. The only way to be certain about the current water quality is through testing.
Water testing reveals the true state of water contamination and can help determine what needs to be done. Independent water testing helps hold polluters accountable and provides the evidence to demand action.
The first five BTEX and PFAS kits are en route to Oahu, made possible by donations from WILPF-US.
Help the people of Oahu, Hawaii by contributing to the purchase of Cyclopure Test Kits for PFAS and TapScoreTest Kits for Petroleum.
