Service members and residents in and around Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam have reported serious medical complications following a catastrophic jet fuel spill in 2021 that contaminated the area’s drinking water supply.
Extent of Toxic Contamination
The May 2021 mishap at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility caused 19,000 gallons of JP-5 jet fuel to be released into an underground storage area. The public was not alerted about the contaminated water supply until late 2021 when a discharge pipe containing the leaked fuel ruptured, causing thousands of gallons to enter soil and bedrock near a drinking water shaft serving the military base and surrounding community.
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U.S. Navy leadership warned the public about the public health risks only after service members and residents complained of a strong petroleum odor in the tap water at least nine days after the spill. A state Department of Health official called the situation a “ticking time bomb.”
“Thousands of people in this area are now facing serious health questions,” Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman trial lawyer Ilana Waxman. “They will forever question the safety of the water coming out of their faucets, all because of this tragedy that was entirely preventable.”
Known Toxins in Jet Fuel
The contaminated water supply serves approximately 93,000 people on the base and in the surrounding community. JP-5 jet fuel contains known carcinogens and dangerous chemicals, including benzene, toluene, naphthalene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, methylnaphthalene and others.
Health, Neurological Concerns Reported
Residents on the base like Ariana Wyatt, Meredith Wilson and their families relied on the tap water for drinking, bathing and cooking. According to a toxic contamination lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawai‘I by trial lawyers at Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman, Wyatt began experiencing severe health complications, including gastrointestinal problems, headaches, blurred vision and skin irritation. She was diagnosed with hydronephrosis, which is characterized by a swollen kidney.
Wyatt’s young daughter was later diagnosed with a thyroid condition and placed on medication. The symptoms continued until the family left the base and moved to Alabama in July 2022.
Wilson began experiencing health and neurological issues beginning in October 2021, including hair loss, nausea, numbness in her extremities, vertigo and dizziness. An MRI revealed a flattening of her pituitary gland. She is unable to drive a car, and hypersensitivity she experienced has interfered with her career as a musician. Physicians have reported an increase of similar symptoms after the fuel spill, according to the lawsuit.
Human Error, Lack of Oversight Blamed for Spill
In January 2022, the Navy finally acknowledged the initial May 2021 spill and confirmed that contaminants had, in fact, leaked into the drinking supply serving the city of Oahu. A subsequent investigation blamed human error for the spill and lack of oversight for the Navy’s failure to respond with the degree of urgency demanded by the seriousness of the situation.
Hundreds of lawsuits are now pending on behalf of service members and nearby residents who have been affected by the toxic chemical contamination. The Defense Department is planning to defuel and permanently close the facility by August 2027.
What is the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility?
The Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility was built in 1940 to store up to 250 million gallons of fuel in 20 steel-lined tanks, encased in concrete and built into cavities inside Red Hill. The tanks are connected to three pipelines that extend to fueling piers at Pearl Harbor. Fuel in the tanks is used by the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard and Hawaiʻi National Guard for ships and aircraft.
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