PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — Almost two years after a leak at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility contaminated Oahu’s drinking water, the facility’s 20 fuel tanks will be drained.

Joint Task Force-Red Hill Commander U.S. Navy Vice Admiral John Wade confirmed in a video message that the defueling of Red Hill is set to begin on Oct. 16, 2023.

The process of removing 104 million gallons of fuel via gravity will begin in three weeks and will be completed by Jan. 19, 2024.

Wade said a federal government shutdown would not impact the defueling schedule. 

“The Secretary of Defense has exempted all personnel supporting the defueling of Red Hill from furlough and all contracts will remain in place. And this means that the mission is deemed critical and will continue to work even if there's a shutdown,” said Wade. 

The Joint Task Force-Red Hill is currently working to obtain final approvals from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Hawaii Department of Health. 

“This is an important part of the oversight process because they hold us to federal and state standards, ensuring that we execute the mission safely,” said Wade.  

After the gravity-based defueling is completed, up to 400,000 gallons of fuel will remain in the tanks and will still need to be removed. 

In May and Nov. 2021, the U.S. Navy spilled fuel at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. As a result of the spills, about 93,000 people who lived around Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and used the Navy’s water system were impacted by the contaminated drinking water. After this happened, the Hawaii Department of Health issued an emergency order requiring the Red Hill facility to be closed. 

The Joint Task Force-Red Hill is hosting a Defueling Open House on Tuesday at Keehi Lagoon from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. to answer the public’s questions. 

Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.