An independent investigation by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed that no petroleum or jet fuel compounds were detected in 15 drinking water samples collected at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) and Aliamanu Military Reservation (AMR). The samples included 12 from homes at JBPHH and AMR, as well as three from source water shafts. The Navy’s Waiawa Shaft, currently the sole source for JBPHH and AMR drinking water systems, was among the sources tested, along with the Navy’s ʻAiea-Hālawa and Red Hill Shafts.
The investigation was initiated due to an uptrend of low-level Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) detections in late 2023. DOH employed a petroleum forensic consultant to conduct the analysis using advanced forensic techniques that offer higher detection sensitivity than the unmodified testing methods used by the Navy during Long-Term Monitoring (LTM).
“This report provides reassurance that no petroleum was detected in the 15 drinking water samples DOH collected,” said Deputy Director for Environmental Health Kathleen Ho. “It also shows that forensic techniques are effective in analyzing low-level—and we expect the Navy to implement forensic analysis in its future testing to provide the public with accurate data.”
Although no petroleum was detected, DOH does not endorse all conclusions drawn by the Navy's "SWARM Team" investigation into TPH detections.
Regarding residual jet fuel presence at JBPHH/AMR, while testing is definitive for sampled locations and dates, it cannot generalize that there is no residual fuel across the entire base. The Navy will have an opportunity to demonstrate a downtrend in detection through an additional year of sampling involving 3,500 tests in residences/buildings. This extended monitoring aims to provide more representative data of the system.
DOH's findings underscore the necessity of forensic testing for low-level TPH detections where non-targeted environmental and laboratory artifacts can interfere with results. The Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response (HEER) Office recommends forensic testing for any TPH detections below 200 parts per billion (ppb). Although this method requires more time due to progressive test sequences, it is crucial for distinguishing between potential petroleum compounds, other non-petroleum organic compounds, and laboratory artifacts.
The exact chemistry leading to high rates of TPH detections during LTM remains unknown. The Navy attributed low-level TPH detections to O-terphenyl (OTP), a chemical surrogate interacting with chlorine; however, it is unclear if OTP alone caused these false readings. All surrogates achieved recovery within laboratory limits post-testing.
Non-targeted analytes (NTAs) such as brominated organic compounds and tentatively identified compounds (TICs) were detected at low levels in home samples but not from source water shafts. Naturally occurring biogenic compounds like organic acids were found in source water shaft samples. Further testing is underway to characterize these compounds' potential origin and composition.
While EPA Method 8015D was used conventionally for TPH testing in LTM, it wasn't designed to identify specific chemicals like JP-5 jet fuel at low concentrations typical in parts per billion levels. Recognizing this limitation, supplemental methods were employed during this investigation.
TPH testing forms part of DOH's comprehensive approach considering over 40 different compounds and screening parameters guiding environmental assessment and remediation efforts.