The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with the Interagency Drinking Water System Team, released validated testing information for Aliamanu Military Reservation (AMR) neighborhood, and as previously reported the area coded “zone H2” did not meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and DOH standards for safe drinking water.
The comprehensive test results can be found on the DOH website. The exceedance can be found on page 8.
The result exceeded the Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) standard of 200 parts per billion (PPB). In response, immediate action was taken to conduct another main line water distribution system flush for the entirety of AMR housing area, which included zones H1, H2 and H3. Army leaders discussed the system re-flush of AMR during the January 6 Task Force Ohana virtual Town Hall.
The following information is provided to help interpret the data:
- One of the most common tests conducted at a certified laboratory is a Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) test.
- The Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) established by DOH Environmental Action Level (EAL) and EPA inform requirements for follow-on actions that can include resamples for quality control, more detailed testing, etc.
- All values are in micrograms per liter (µg/L) which is equal to parts per billion (PPB). This ensures compliance with government-established EALs.
- The Method Detection Limit (MDL) is the lowest concentration at which an analyte (chemical subject that is being analyzed) can be detected in a sample.
In accordance with the Drinking Water Distribution System Recovery Plan, residents will not be asked to move back into their homes unless the certified test results confirm the water is safe.
For more information on water recovery efforts, see: www.navy.mil/jointbasewater