JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --
Navy Closure Task Force - Red Hill (NCTF-RH) continued safe and deliberate closure efforts throughout November that included submitting a plan for the reactivation of the Navy Aiea-Halawa Shaft, initiating the pipeline removal process, hosting an open house, and conducting environmental assessment and remediation activities.
Navy Proposed Plan for Reactivation of the Navy Aiea-Halawa Shaft (NAHS): To increase water security for Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam (JBPHH) and the surrounding community, the Navy submitted a reactivation plan for the NAHS to the Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) to add a second shaft to the Navy’s drinking water system which currently relies solely upon the Waiawa Shaft. A key part of the plan is the installation of a granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration system prior to connecting NAHS to the water distribution system, to preemptively address any potential per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The addition of the NAHS as a second water source will enhance water resiliency at JBPHH and is part of the Navy’s continued commitment to providing the community with safe drinking water.
Pipeline Removal Process: The Navy submitted a Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF) pipeline removal work plan to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and DOH at the end of October. The plan outlines the process and procedures to safely and deliberately remove more than 10 miles of pipeline at the RHBFSF. The Navy began the months-long process of pre-staging equipment and installing required utilities and infrastructure to support the removal process in November and anticipates starting pipeline removal in spring 2025. The removed 1940s era steel-piping will be shipped to the continental United States for recycling.
Groundwater Flow Model: The Navy released the Groundwater Flow Model (GWFM) report onto the JBPHH Safe Waters website. The GWFM incorporates a model that estimates how chemicals move within groundwater and how they behave over time. The report, includes:
- A summary of key modeling assumptions
- Updates made from the previous model
- Various pumping scenarios that provide an understanding of how groundwater moves in and around Red Hill
A living document, the GWFM is updated on the JBPHH Safe Waters website as information becomes available.
Engagements: NCTF-RH staff met with multiple stakeholders, to include the Red Hill Water Alliance Initiative, throughout November. The team also hosted staff members from the office of Hawaii U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono and facilitated a University of Hawaii (UH) Red Hill Registry visit to the Red Hill Clinic on JBPHH. December engagements will include a meeting with members of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply to discuss the Navy’s Swarm Team technical memorandum published in April 2024.
Open House: The Navy hosted its quarterly open house at the Hokulani Community Center, Nov. 14. The open house provided the community an opportunity to view visual and interactive informational displays highlighting ongoing environmental and remediation efforts. NCTF-RH experts and representatives from the EPA and UH Red Hill Health Registry were on-site to speak with attendees and answer questions.
“Let’s Talk Red Hill” Podcast: The “Let’s Talk Red Hill” podcast series hosted by NCTF-RH Deputy Commander Rear Adm. Marc Williams will release three new episodes in December. The weekly series offers experts the chance to share the latest updates and insights on the Navy’s progress in closing the RHBFSF. The series can be found on the NCTF-RH YouTube page, Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) website, and Apple and Spotify.
NCTF-RH welcomes the opportunity to engage with all government agencies and community stakeholders to safely and deliberately close the RHBFSF underground storage tanks and associated piping system while conducting long-term environmental remediation and ensuring continued access to safe drinking water in compliance with all federal, state and local laws, policies and regulations.
For more information about NCTF-RH, visit
https://www.navyclosuretaskforce.navy.mil/ or download the free mobile app by searching for "NCTF-Red Hill" in the Apple App or Google Play store. For imagery, video and other digital media, visit DVIDS at:
https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/NCTF-RH.
Navyclosuretaskforce.navy.mil
SAFE. DELIBERATE. ENGAGED. COMMITTED.