Joint Task Force - Red Hill Completes Dewatering

Photo By Sgt. Luke Cohen | A quality assurance representative and a fuel operator with Joint Task Force-Red Hill (JTF-RH), inspect a sample of fuel during dewatering at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Halawa, Hawaii, April 19, 2023. Dewatering removes the water from the fuel storage tanks. This is a routine task for maintenance of underground fuel storage tanks and is essential to prevent corrosion and protect fuel quality. Regulators from the Hawaii Department of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency are on site during dewatering. JTF-RH is committed to working with regulators, government officials, and stakeholders to ensure Red Hill is defueled safely, expeditiously and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. (DoD photo by U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Luke Cohen)  

HONOLULU, HAWAII, UNITED STATES

04.19.2023

Story by Capt. Kitsana Dounglomchan 

Joint Task Force Red Hill

HONOLULU – Joint Task Force-Red Hill (JTF-RH) announced the completion of dewatering operations at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF) today.

Regulators from the Hawaii Department of Health and Environmental Protection Agency remained on site throughout the dewatering process. There were no complications or incidents during dewatering.

“The completion of dewatering marks a major milestone on our path toward the safe and expeditious defueling of the Red Hill facility,” said Brig. Gen. Michelle Link, JTF-RH Deputy Commander. “The successful completion of dewatering confirms that our procedures are appropriately validated, and that when we train and rehearse, we can conduct operations safely.”

Dewatering operations resulted in the collection of 1,084 gallons of water from 14 of the 20 tanks that required dewatering.

Water removed from tanks is stored in an above ground holding tank at the RHBFSF. Once this holding tank is full, vacuum trucks drain and transfer the liquid to a fuel oil reclamation facility (FORFAC). At the FORFAC, the fuel and water are separated and appropriately processed. The fuel is then sold commercially, and the water is properly treated and discharged.

Completion of dewatering represents another step forward in the defueling process.

JTF-Red Hill is committed to working with regulators and government stakeholders to ensure Red Hill is defueled safely, expeditiously, and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

For more information about JTF-Red Hill, please visit https://www.pacom.mil/JTF-Red-Hill/.

• Date Taken: 04.19.2023
• Date Posted: 04.20.2023 00:04
• Story ID: 442948
• Location: HONOLULU, HAWAII, US