JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – The Interagency Drinking Water System Team (IDWST) released post home and non-residential building flushing data for Makalapa (Zone E1) and Aliamanu Military Reservation (Zones H2, H3) on the https://jbphh-safewaters.org website today.
Summaries of the laboratory testing results are posted for Zone E1, Zone H2, and Zone H3. This website supplements the primary online resource for information about the interagency response at: www.navy.mil/jointbasewater.
The IDWST is composed of representatives from the Navy, Army, Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The Navy and DOH took drinking water samples after homes and non-residential buildings were flushed. The drinking water meets EPA and DOH standards applicable to the Navy water system incident. IDWST submitted Zone E1 and H3 results to DOH for final review March 3, and submitted Zone H2 results to DOH for final review March 4.
Pending validation of these results, Hawaii DOH’s final review should take approximately seven days. DOH uses multiple lines of evidence to evaluate sample data. These lines of evidence are used to confirm no contamination is entering the Navy water system and no contamination remains in the affected zone. Once DOH determines the Navy’s drinking water is safe to drink in each zone, DOH will amend the health advisory for Zones E1, H2, and H3.
The following information is provided to help interpret the data:
- Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) tests look for many petroleum compounds and are done in addition to standard drinking water tests.
- Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) are established by the EPA and are the maximum permissible level of contaminants in water which is delivered to any user of a public water system.
- Environmental Action Levels (EALs) are established by the Hawaii DOH and are concentrations of contaminants in drinking water and other media (e.g., soil, soil gas, and groundwater) below which the contaminants are assumed to not pose a significant threat to human health or the environment. Exceeding the Tier 1 EAL does not necessarily indicate that contamination at the site poses environmental hazards but generally warrants additional investigation.
- All values are in micrograms per liter (µg/L) which is equal to parts per billion (PPB).
- The Method Detection Limit (MDL) is the lowest concentration at which an analyte (chemical subject that is being analyzed) can be detected in a sample.
DOH’s Nov. 29, 2021, public health advisory for the Navy water system remains in effect for all zones except Zone A1 (Pearl City Peninsula), Zone A2 (Ford Island), Zone B1 (Halawa, McGrew), Zone D1 (Hale Moku, Hokulani), Zone G1 (Camp Smith), Zone H1 (Aliamanu Military Reservation), and Zone I1 (Red Hill Housing).