D008 Protection of Water “Ola i Ka Wai - Water is Life”
In Hawaiian teaching, ola i ka wai (water is life), and in Christian teaching, water is the source of life, renewal, and rebirth. For many years the drinking water on the island of Oʻahu has been threatened by the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, maintained by the U.S. Navy. In the latest leak in 2021, the fuel tanks leaked thousands of gallons of jet fuel into the local aquifer that provides drinking water to the residents of O‘ahu. Many families suffered and continue to suffer from the physical and emotional consequences of unknowingly using tainted water. Though the Navy has attempted to clean the water and has defueled most of the fuel from the tanks, the water still shows signs of contamination. The Navy’s actions were too late, inadequate, and resulted in a loss of trust of the people of Hawai‘i as well as permanent damage to the aquifer.
Explanation
In Hawaiian teaching, ola i ka wai (water is life), and in Christian teaching, water is the source of life, renewal, and rebirth. For many years the drinking water on the island of Oʻahu has been threatened by the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, maintained by the U.S. Navy. In the latest leak in 2021, the fuel tanks leaked thousands of gallons of jet fuel into the local aquifer that provides drinking water to the residents of O‘ahu. Many families suffered and continue to suffer from the physical and emotional consequences of unknowingly using tainted water. Though the Navy has attempted to clean the water and has defueled most of the fuel from the tanks, the water still shows signs of contamination. The Navy’s actions were too late, inadequate, and resulted in a loss of trust of the people of Hawai‘i as well as permanent damage to the aquifer.