Source: United States Navy
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Voluntary establishment of the Extended Drinking Water Monitoring (EDWM) program. The Navy will continue extensive drinking water sampling of the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam drinking water system for another year. The EDWM plan picked up after the completion of the long-term monitoring program which ended last month.
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Removal of fuel piping spools and valves from the base of Red Hill Tanks 7 and 8. The spools are short segments of piping and valves that isolate the main tanks from the pipelines leading from the facility on Red Hill to the underground pump house on JBPHH. Removing the spools and valves is a preparatory step in advance of ventilation and tank cleaning.
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Preparation for tank cleaning: NCTF-RH contractor personnel cleaned and prepared a fuel reclamation tank at the facility on Red Hill that will be used to collect the rinse water from main tank cleaning. They used the opportunity to practice the same skills required to clean the main fuel storage tanks.
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Creation of a Water Quality Action Team. Made up of water, environmental, and medical professionals and other experts, the team focuses on the quality of drinking water. The team responds to water quality issues at the homes of concerned residents and will assess potential water quality concerns such as household water chemistry, chlorine levels, water temperature, and potential plumbing concerns including water heater and appliance operation and maintenance.
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Extension of the operations and breadth of the Red Hill Clinic. At the request of the Navy, the Red Hill Clinic will continue operations for an additional year. The clinic provides medical assessments for all TRICARE-eligible beneficiaries and individuals granted Secretarial Designee status who are experiencing symptoms they believe may be related to the November 2021 Red Hill fuel release.
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Residence Resources Guide. NCTF-RH created a Resident Resource Guide that provides fact sheets on water quality questions. The guide includes information about the Navy Water Quality Action Team process, how to navigate the JBPHH-Safe Waters website at www.jbphh-safewaters.org, how to read drinking water test results from analytical laboratories, understanding Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons, and drinking water quality compliance monitoring. NCTF-RH will update the Resource Guide as new information becomes available. The Resident Resource Guide can be found in the NCTF-RH App’s Resource Center or on the NCTF-RH webpage (www.navyclosuretaskforce.navy.mil/document-library/).
“The Navy now has full responsibility of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, and we are moving out to accomplish our primary mission of closing it and remediating the environment,” said Rear Adm. Steve Barnett, commander, NCTF-RH. “We have developed a detailed schedule in close coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency and Hawaii Department of Health that lays out a safe and deliberate approach to this complex set of tasks. I’m confident in our team and our plan and look forward to providing regular updates on our progress to the community through our many public engagement activities.”
In the next month NCTF-RH will execute more tasks aimed at closure, including:
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Removal of AFFF Concentrate. NCTF-RH began AFFF concentrate removal on April 8. Approximately 90% has been successfully drained, removing a major threat to the aquifer.
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Tank cleaning preparations. Once tanks are safe for personnel entry, suspended scaffolding will be installed to initiate the tank cleaning process. These structures will allow for workers to clean the internal surfaces of the tanks.
“We will continue to take a deliberate and engaged approach as we move from one phase of the closure process to the next,” Barnett said.
NCTF-RH is committed to working with all government agencies and community stakeholders to safely and deliberately close the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility underground storage tanks and associated piping system, conduct long-term environmental remediation, and ensure 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 navyclosuretaskforce.navy.mil or download the mobile app by searching for “NCTF-Red Hill” in the Apple App store or Google Play store. For imagery, video and other digital media please visit our DVIDS site here: https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/NCTF-RH