The U.S. Navy sent letters to customers on its water system stating that it intends to reopen one of three shafts that were closed following the discovery of fuel in its drinking water supply nearly five years ago. According to the letter, the reopening will happen no sooner than Sept. 28.
HPR attended a community meeting on Sept. 17 in ʻEwa Beach that was hosted by the Navy. In attendance were state and federal regulators.
At the meeting, HPR spoke with Hawaiʻi Deputy Director for Environmental Health Kathleen Ho, who explained why her department gave the green light for the military to reactivate the ʻAiea-Hālawa Shaft, which was shut down after the Red Hill fuel spill.
“The review process was more than a year. It included requiring the Navy to install a graduated, activated carbon treatment, an ion exchange treatment, and a disinfectants system to treat the water,” Ho explained.
She reassured that the water from the reopened shaft would be subject to rigorous monitoring.
Amy Miller, the EPA‘s director for Enforcement and Compliance for their Region 9 Office covering the Pacific, was also on hand to address concerns about what has been characterized as a “false positive” for TPH, or Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons.
“We looked at all of the data that the Navy has collected, Department of Health and EPA have collected, and reviewed the data and came to the conclusion that there has not been any jet fuel within the drinking water system since the system was flushed,” she told HPR.
"I want people to be assured that they are meeting regulatory requirements to provide safe drinking water,” she continued.
Members of the Red Hill Community Representative Initiative expressed their frustration with what they see as a loss of trust with the military and EPA.
“We are not satisfied,” said Marti Townsend of the CRI. “There is significant discontent amongst Hawai’i residents over what you guys have put us through and continue to put us through.”
A lack of transparency around monitoring water quality and testing for forever chemicals led families at the Kapalina Homes subdivision in ʻEwa Beach to urge better communication going forward.
“We're not notified about anything. Why can't you put in the mail your flyer? You know every address in Kapalina Beach Homes. Why can't you mail us what you're doing? It's not too much to ask,” said resident Peggy Wagner. "I implore you to improve the communication.”
The Joint Task Force continues to make progress with tank cleaning and the dismantling of the piping system, a process that the EPA estimates could take at least another two years.
Remediation of the groundwater is estimated to take longer. Since April, the military has continued monitoring water quality and has increased its testing to twice a month. It’s unclear how long that will continue.
This story aired on The Conversation on Sept. 18, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
