Thousands went to the doctor, the US military's negligence of Hawaiians and their own service members is striking.

Originally built in the 1940s to store fuel in case of an enemy attack, the facility at Red Hill includes 20 steel-lined tanks built 100 feet into the ground. These tanks are massive, carrying 12.5 million gallons of fuel for ships and jets, and some haven't been inspected in over 38 years.

This facility sits right above an aquifer that supplies 25% of Oahu's drinking water, according to the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. As an island — Hawaii's most populated — the loss of a major water supply source has the potential to reap dire consequences.

Jet fuel spilled in May 2021 when a valve-opening operation was "incorrectly executed" at the Red Hill facility and the fuel line "violently" ruptured. Then on Nov. 20, a valve for an overhead pipe cracked and, for hours, nearly 14,000 gallons of jet fuel poured out and drained into the groundwater.

Two days later, the Navy issued a notification to the public saying "there are no signs or indication of any releases to the environment and the drinking water remains safe."

Despite this, many people who lived in the area, a majority in military housing, reported health issues such as vomiting, burning eyes, and rashes after using the tap water for showering, cooking or drinking.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...vy/7880876001/