Protecting Oahu's Groundwater Aquifer

The Board of Water Supply (BWS) remains steadfast in our commitment to providing safe, dependable and affordable water for Oahu's needs today and in the future. This includes taking a strong stance when protecting our groundwater aquifers.

In January 2014, the U.S. Navy reported a 27,000 gallon leak of jet fuel from Tank 5 at its Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. This underground storage tank (UST) – along with 19 others like it in the Red Hill area – is able to contain up to 12.5 million gallons of fuel for the U.S. Navy. These tanks are located 100 feet above the Moanalua-Waimalu groundwater aquifer, which the BWS uses to provide water to residents from Moanalua to Hawaii Kai.

STAY INFORMED

To protect the aquifer's long-term ability to provide safe drinking water, the BWS urges the Navy, EPA, and Hawaii DOH to:

  • double line the tanks. If not, then relocate away from the potable water aquifer;
  • meet the same regulatory requirements as all other USTs; and
  • clean up the fuel that is already underneath the tanks to reduce the long-term threat to other wells in the area.

The Board of Water Supply posts news and updates on its website, including updates from public meetings to materials such as the Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) and Scope of Work (SOW). 

Get Involved

Help the BWS to keep our drinking water safe by staying informed and doing your part to keep this issue top of mind.

  • Read the Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) and Scope of Work (SOW) for the Red Hill project available on the EPA Red Hill website (www.epa.gov/red-hill/red-hill-administrative-order-consent). 
  • Stay current on news and updates about Red Hill on the BWS, EPA and DOH websites.
  • Attend community meetings in your neighborhood about this issue and voice your concerns about protecting our groundwater resources.
  • Build awareness about Red Hill and initiatives to protect Oahu's drinking water by sharing updates and FAQ with family and friends.
  • Contact your elected officials and let them know you are concerned about Red Hill and that you support efforts to protect Oahu’s groundwater resources. 

Related Websites

For More Information

Contact the BWS Communications Office by phone at (808) 748-5041 or by email at contactus@hbws.org.

Red Hill Project Coordinators

Contact the project coordinators at the Hawaii DOH, EPA, and U.S. Navy.

Roxanne Kwan
Red Hill Project Coordinator
State of Hawaii
Department of Health
Solid & Hazardous Waste Branch
2827 Waimano Home Road
Pearl City, HI 96782
(808) 586-4226
roxanne.kwan@doh.hawaii.gov
Omer Shalev
Red Hill Project Coordinator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 9
Underground Storage Tank Program Office
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 947-3538
shalev.omer@epa.gov
Mark Manfredi
Red Hill Regional Program Director
NAVFAC Hawaii
850 Ticonderoga Street, Suite 110
JBPHH, HI 96860
(808) 473-4148
mark.manfredi@navy.mil
Updated: 05/14/19