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DOH News Release: DOH declares Navy drinking water distribution system Zones A2, D1, Manana Housing safe

Posted on Mar 2, 2022 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

WHAT:                        Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) Declares Drinking Water Distribution System Recovery Plan Zones A2, D1, and Manana Housing Safe; Health Advisory Amended; Residents Allowed to Drink Tap Water

WHERE:                     Zone A2, Ford Island

Click here to view the completed checklist that supports DOH’s health advisory amendment for Zone A2.

Zone D1, Hale Moku, Hokulani

Click here to view the completed checklist that supports DOH’s health advisory amendment for Zone D1.

Manana Marine Corps Housing

Click here to view DOH’s health advisory amendment for Manana Housing.

Click here for an updated map on zone status.

WHEN:                        March 1, 2022

BACKGROUND:        All Navy water system users in Manana Housing, Zone A2 and Zone D1 may now use water for all purposes including drinking, cooking, and oral hygiene. This includes consumption by pets.

The Navy water system’s source water is coming from the Navy’s Waiawa Shaft. The Waiawa Shaft water has been tested to verify that it is safe to drink. The Navy’s Red Hill Shaft, which is contaminated, has been disconnected from the water system.

DOH and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) subject matter experts completed a final review of all sample data and how the Navy water system maintains operations to ensure safe drinking water.

                                    Zones A2 and D1

DOH and EPA oversaw months of work to provide individuals and families in Zones A2 and D1 with assurance of safe drinking water. This included overseeing flushing operations to confirm that the Navy followed flushing and testing protocol to verify that contamination was removed from the drinking water system.

One sample collected from a home in Zone A2 initially tested above the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) screening level set by DOH. The homes were re-flushed and re-tested. Subsequently, all sampled homes and buildings meet DOH’s TPH screening level.

Two samples collected from homes in Zone D1 initially tested above the TPH screening level set by DOH. The homes were re-flushed and re-tested. Subsequently, all sampled homes and buildings meet DOH’s TPH screening level.

The IDWST’s joint plan to draw samples from more than 900, or at least 10% of homes, and 100% of schools and child development centers on the overall Navy water system provides accurate data in determining that the water in all homes and buildings is safe. Additional homes and buildings will be sampled as part of a long-term monitoring plan.

The decision to amend the health advisory and declare the water in Zones A2 and D1 safe was made after DOH’s multiple lines of evidence confirmed that no contamination is entering the Navy water system and no contamination remains in Zones A2 and D1. DOH’s investigation showed:

Reported sources of contamination are contained

  • The Navy’s Red Hill Shaft is physically disconnected from the Navy water system.

Source water from the Waiawa Shaft is safe to drink

  • Sample results show the water meets State and Federal regulations and project screening levels of the incident specific parameters.

No additional contamination is occurring in the water system

  • A Cross Connection Control investigation shows the distribution system is protected, resulting in no additional sources of contamination.

Water within the distribution system is safe to drink

  • The zone flushing plan demonstrates the entire zone is flushed.
  • Sample results show the water in the distribution system meets State and Federal regulations and project screening levels of the incident specific parameters.
  • Drinking water does not show sheen, olfactory evidence, or other qualitative methods of petroleum.

Water in homes/building plumbing is safe to drink

  • The Flushing Plan includes procedures to ensure no service connections will re-contaminate the distribution system.
  • Samples were collected from homes and buildings three days after flushing. This stagnation period was built in to detect possible leaching of contaminants from pipes or other plumbing.
  • Sample results show water in premise plumbing of homes/buildings meet State and Federal regulations and project screening levels of the incident specific parameters.

Manana Marine Corps Housing

In November 2021, the Joint Base Pearl Harbor‐Hickam (JBPHH) drinking water distribution system at Manana Marine Corps Housing (Manana Housing) reported booster pump issues and was unable to provide water to Manana Housing.

This prompted an emergency connection that switched the source of drinking water for Manana Housing from the Navy water system to the City and County of Honolulu Board of Water Supply (BWS) on November 16, 2021. This switch to the BWS source occurred before the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility jet fuel spill event reported on November 20, 2021.

On November 28, 2021, it was reported by the Navy that a chemical

release of petroleum, which is a hazardous substance, entered the

JBPHH drinking water distribution system and the Red Hill Shaft. This release triggered an emergency response and DOH issuance of the

Advisory on November 29, 2021, for the entire Navy water system.

Complaints of water quality from Manana Housing coincided with increasing complaint calls from other areas of the Navy water system. As Manana Housing was not receiving water from the Navy water system at the time of the incident, a separate investigation was completed.

The decision to amend the health advisory and declare the water in Manana Housing safe was made after DOH’s multiple lines of evidence confirmed that the Manana Housing tap water supply is safe to drink. DOH’s investigation showed:

A water quality investigation demonstrated that water is safe to drink

  • The Marine Corps conducted water and residential testing prior to a whole system maintenance type flushing. Post flushing confirmation sampling was conducted.
  • The DOH also tested the distribution system to determine the quality of the flushing.
  • Sample results show the water meets State and Federal regulations and project screening levels of the incident specific parameters.

Manana Housing was served by the City and County of Honolulu

  • The drinking water source for Manana Housing was switched from the Navy Water System to BWS on November 16, 2021.

Source water from the Waiawa Shaft is safe to drink

  • Sample results show the water meets State and Federal regulations and project screening levels of the incident specific parameters.

Manana Housing will only be served by the Navy’s Waiawa Shaft moving forward

  • At the request of the Board of Water Supply, Manana Housing will be switched back to the Navy water system.
  • The Navy’s Waiawa Shaft is the single entry point to provide tap water to Manana Housing.

If Navy water system users have a question or concern about the quality of their water, please contact DOH at [email protected] or 808-586-4258.

RESOURCES:           Click here for a full list of DOH’s screening criteria.

Click here to view validated testing results for Zones A2 and D1.

Click here for a one pager on how to read laboratory results.

Click here to view the full data package for Zone A2 that led DOH to issue this amendment.

Click here to view the full data package for Zone D1 that led DOH to issue this amendment.

Click here to view the checklist for Manana Housing that led DOH to issue this amendment.

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Media Contact:

Katie Arita-Chang

Acting Communications Director

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (808) 286-4806