Honolulu aquifer likely contaminated, according to the board of water supply
By Jeremy Lee
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HONOLULU (KITV) — “It’s pretty clear to me based on the existing information, that the aquifer below and near the facility is contaminated with petroleum, diesel, oil, and maybe other components of fuel,” Ernie Lau of the Board of Water Supply told KITV.
“They have dissolved into the ground water, into the water itself and it’s maybe moving with the aquifer,” Lau added.
The Board of Water Supply is seeking a new water source for a well. That’s according to a legal announcement that was printed this week in the Star Advertiser.
By the Navy’s report, there could be 5400 gallons of fuel unaccounted for from the Red Hill fuel spill last year.
That has the Board of Water Supply looking to construct an exploratory well, to see if a viable water source can be utilized near Waimalu stream by Pearl City.
Currently, in addition to Red Hill, both the Aiea and Halawa wells are shut down as a precaution. That leaves only one well in Kalihi operational, according to Lau.
The Board of Water Supply is utilizing two different types of wells as works to mitigate the continued crisis: “Exploratory wells” to find a new water source. But also “monitoring wells” to gauge the water quality of the primary aquifer.
“There’s more unknowns than knowns when it comes to the aquifer in that region, and also the extent of fuel contamination in that aquifer and where it might be migrating,” Lau told KITV.
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