Veterans Say U.S. Navy Sailors Have Been Drinking Jet-Fuel-Contaminated Water
As the U.S. military attempted to recover from its latest drinking water contamination scandal, Navy sailors came forward to claim that they were put at undue risk of consuming jet fuel in drinking water aboard numerous warships.
“After Navy officials revealed in late September that the service found what it described as ‘traces’ of jet fuel in USS Nimitz’s water, a sailor on the ship — and their parents — shared photo evidence and testimony … that the problem was significantly worse, with more than just ‘traces’ of fuel in the water,” Business Insider reported. “Nearly a dozen veterans have since reached out … to share that they also came in contact with water contaminated by jet fuel during their service aboard US warships.”
Jet fuel contamination aboard the USS Nimitz seems to have become the tip of an iceberg of issues related to drinking water quality aboard Navy vessels. While Navy officials found that fuel had seeped into the ship’s water supply and sailors reported acute health consequences seemingly tied to this contamination, it left port again about two weeks later after testing and flushing.
“At least 11 sailors reported having rashes, diarrhea and other symptoms that could be linked to ingesting fuel after ‘trace amounts’ of jet propellant-5 were discovered in one of the ship’s potable water tanks,” according to NBC News. “But the contamination may have poisoned more people, for longer than a couple of weeks, current and former USS Nimitz sailors said.”
This is not the only recent drinking water contamination issue stemming from U.S. military mismanagement. Navy families are currently suing the U.S. government over health issues they believe they suffered due to a major fuel spill at a Navy storage facility in Hawaii. And the Department of Defense recently disclosed that drinking water near several of its bases contain high levels of toxic perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Now, following the issues uncovered on the Nimitz, veterans are coming forward to indicate that the Navy may have underlying contamination issues that have not yet been disclosed publicly.
“The veterans … said that they definitely could smell and taste the jet fuel in the water, though it wasn’t always visible,” per Business Insider. “Some said they were told by leadership that jet fuel had gotten into the water. Contaminated water could be found in water fountains, sinks, and showers on the ships, they said, and it was also used to cook the food they ate.”
As additional revelations about just how widespread drinking water contamination may be aboard Navy warships seem inevitable, the Navy may be forced to take additional measures soon.
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