What happened at Red Hill?
After leaks at the Navy’s Red Hill fuel facility culminated in a water contamination crisis impacting thousands of military families, the U.S. Department of Defense said Monday that it will permanently shut down the World War II-era facility.
What caused the Red Hill leak?
Red Hill has a history of such problems, including a rupture last May in which thousands of gallons of fuel escaped into an access tunnel. Navy officials have said their “working theory” is that the fuel eventually migrated through fire-suppression lines and triggered the spill into the water shaft.
Where are the Red Hill tanks located?
Honolulu
The Red Hill tanks are connected to three gravity-fed pipelines that run 2.5 miles inside a tunnel to fueling piers at Pearl Harbor. Each of the 20 tanks at Red Hill measures 100 feet in diameter and is 250 feet in height. The tanks are located under a volcanic mountain ridge near Honolulu.
Who is affected by Red Hill?
Approximately 93,000 U.S. Navy water system users are impacted, many of whom remain in temporary housing due to the drinking water crisis. The source of the petroleum was the nearby Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, which contaminated the Red Hill Well, the Navy’s primary source for its water system.
When did Red Hill leak?
January 2014
The U.S. Navy’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility leaked 27,000 gallons of fuel from a single tank in January 2014. This fuel was released into the surrounding environment, including the primary drinking water resource for metropolitan Oʻahu, which lies just 100 feet below the Red Hill facility.
How many tanks does Red Hill have?
20
Unlike any other facility in the United States, the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility can store up to 250 million gallons of fuel. It consists of 20 steel-lined underground storage tanks encased in concrete, and built into cavities that were mined inside of Red Hill.
What type of fuel is stored at Red Hill?
The 20 tanks within Red Hill, are steel-lined concrete up to four feet thick, including a layer of gunite, and can store millions of gallons of jet or marine fuel used by the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard and Hawaii National Guard.
How many tanks are at Red Hill?
20 tanks
The 20 tanks within Red Hill, are steel-lined concrete up to four feet thick, including a layer of gunite, and can store millions of gallons of jet or marine fuel used by the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard and Hawaii National Guard.
Where is Red Hill fuel tanks?
Honolulu, Hawaii
Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility
| Red Hill | |
|---|---|
| Location | Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Purpose | Store fuel for use at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam to refuel ships, aircraft, etc. |
| Status | In use |
| Construction began | 1940 |
What is wrong with the water in Hawaii?
As some military families in Hawaii continue to press for testing of water in more homes, officials this weekend released water test results showing higher-than-acceptable levels of petroleum and other contaminants in key areas — including lead in the water at an indoor utility sink at a child development center.
What aquifer is under Red Hill?
Southern Oʻahu Basal Aquifer
The facility is located in Kapūkaki, known today as Red Hill, which is a mountain ridge located between Hālawa and Moanalua in the ʻewa district of Oʻahu. 100 feet directly below the facility sits the Southern Oʻahu Basal Aquifer—the primary drinking water source for the island.