In coordination with EPA and DOH, the Navy collected drinking water samples for on-island Rapid Response Testing (RRT) and Drinking Water Long-Term Monitoring (LTM) water samples for off-island testing. All results received so far meet federal and state safe drinking water standards.
The DOH provided the Navy with information for six residents who contacted EPA about concerns with their drinking water. The Navy collected drinking water samples for RRT at five of the six homes and LTM samples at four of the six homes. The Navy is awaiting resident response for scheduling availability of a 6th RRT sample and two additional LTM samples.
The RRT tests did not detect Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) at any of the five homes.
For the LTM testing, one home showed no detection of TPH in the drinking water, while low levels of TPH were detected in the samples from the other three homes. All detections, however, were well below the incident-specific parameter (ISP) established by EPA and DOH as part of the approved LTM Plan. The Navy provided the results to the residents, EPA and DOH Oct. 27.
TPH can be found in any petroleum-based products including oils from plumbing repairs, household, biological and industrial products such as mothballs, cooking oils, lotions, lubricants, greases, etc.
Although LTM samples taken from three of the four homes show low levels of TPH, all results were below the regulator-established ISP and do not indicate the presence of JP-5 in the JBPHH drinking water distribution system. When there is a detection of TPH, a chromatographic comparison, or fingerprint analysis, is conducted by an EPA-certified laboratory to determine if JP-5 is present in the sample. JP-5 has not been detected in these samples. Since the start of the Navy’s LTM program in March 2022, fingerprint analyses have not found evidence of JP-5 in the JBPHH drinking water distribution system.
The Navy continues to test residential and non-residential buildings on the JBPHH drinking water distribution system according to the LTM plan that was created and approved by the Interagency Drinking Water System Team (IDWST), composed of representatives from the DOH, EPA, Navy and Army. Under the interagency-approved LTM plan, the Navy water system is in a two-year, regulated period of LTM that began in March 2022 and is scheduled to end in March 2024. The water in the Navy’s system comes from the Waiawa shaft, which is approximately 6 miles from Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam. The Navy received validated test results of non-detect of TPH for a sample taken on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.
The Navy continues to conduct periodic outreach events across JBPHH to inform users and residents served by the JBPHH water distribution system on the process and success of the LTM program. Residents and users on the JBPHH water distribution system are encouraged to report drinking water concerns to:
– Navy Rapid Response Team – 808-449-1979.
– DOH Safe Drinking Water Branch – 808-586-4258 or SDWB@doh.hawaii.gov;
– EPA Desk Line – 415-947-4406
For more information on these actions, go to the news section of http://www.navy.mil/jointbasewater.
Additional information on the Navy’s LTM program may be found at http://jbphh-safewaters.org.
