Military Families Sue U.S. Government Over Fuel Contamination Of Drinking Water
Following unprecedented drinking water contamination at a Navy storage facility in Hawaii, the families of victims are now looking to hold the government accountable.
“Four ailing military families formerly based in Hawaii claim in a federal lawsuit … against the U.S. government [that] they were poisoned by drinking water that was contaminated by leaks from the Red Hill bulk fuel storage facility, near Pearl Harbor,” NBC News reported. “The four plaintiffs are among some 6,000 people poisoned and forced to evacuate their homes last year.”
The fuel storage facility leaked petroleum into Honolulu’s drinking water supply on two separate occasions last year, prompting the relocation of numerous military families and harsh words from the local water utility chief. Since then, $350 million has been earmarked to address the spill and Navy officials have been reprimanded for the incident.
Now, this latest lawsuit outlines the acute health effects that plaintiffs claim they struggle with as a result of drinking contaminated water, blaming a lack of government communication and accountability.
“This case ‘signifies an opportunity for change because the government is not going to make change unless they are held accountable,’” a lawyer who filed the suit told USA Today. “‘They didn’t warn these families that their water was contaminated when they knew it was contaminated — that’s poisoning.’”
In their case, the plaintiffs will doubtlessly point to failures by the Navy to act quickly in response to signs that the facility was dangerously contaminating drinking water.
“Hundreds of families reported petroleum odors coming from residential tap water supplied by the Navy water system, alongside reports of health issues caused by the contaminated drinking water,” per ABC News. “The [Department of Health] had received almost 500 complaints of fuel or gasoline-like odor from people who receive water from the Navy water system.”
For its part, the Navy has yet to offer a detailed response to the claims.
“The Navy does not comment on ongoing litigation,” a military spokesperson told the Washington Examiner. “The Navy’s priorities are to ensure the safety and health of our people, their families, and the community members impacted by the Red Hill fuel spill, provide responses to their concerns, and ensure access to clean drinking water.”
To read more about how systems address drinking water contamination, visit Water Online’s Contaminant Removal Solutions Center.