Is the Navy currently considering any active remediation technologies?
The Navy continues to investigate the nature and extent of contamination and will propose remedial options based on the results. While natural attenuation will continue to be an important mechanism for reducing fuel levels in the aquifer, targeted active remediation of contaminants in the vadose zone and potentially the shallow aquifer, will be necessary to address sources of persistent groundwater contamination (e.g., in the vicinity of RHMW-02). The Navy has provided plans for soil vapor extraction (SVE) and air sparging pilot studies, which are available along with regulator comments at Hawai'i Department of Health's Red Hill Nov 20, 2021 Release Technical Documents website.
The Navy has installed SVE systems above the regional and perched aquifers to recover vapor-phase contamination in the vadose zone, as well as air sparging wells to treat groundwater contamination. The air sparging wells are not currently operating. Based on pilot testing of the SVE system and its configuration above the perched aquifer, regulators have made specific recommendations to the Navy to improve contaminant recovery and groundwater treatment. As of January 2026, the Navy has not responded to regulators’ recommendations.
Related Questions
- Is the Navy required to investigate and remediate all confirmed releases from the Red Hill Facility, even those before the 2021 JP-5 releases?
- Will remedial options besides natural attenuation be considered?
- Where is the Navy required to sample for historical releases during site assessment?
- What data governance practices are in place to avoid irregularities and to build trust in the data?
- Is there a remediation standard the Navy must comply with?
- Did delays in reporting results between May and November 2021 prevent regulators from conducting in-depth analysis of water contaminants and impacts to Red Hill Shaft?
- Navy labs modified reports after they were issued – is this normal?
- Why would regulators allow a drinking water well to operate or reopen within a mile of the Red Hill Release?
- Why did the Navy’s lab change the sample matrix on the laboratory reports from “drinking water” to “groundwater” in September and October of 2021?
- Why does it take so long before laboratory reports are finalized?
- Why are sample numbers missing from the groundwater samples collected between May and November of 2021?
- Has potential contamination from the Oily Waste Disposal Facility been characterized?