Red Hill Water Crisis: Hawaiian Kingdom Orders Fuel Tank Relocation

A Royal Response to the Red Hill Water Crisis

The Red Hill Water Crisis has become one of the most pressing environmental and public health emergencies in Hawai‘i. The Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, a massive underground tank system built during World War II, sits just 100 feet above Oʻahu’s main aquifer — the source of drinking water for nearly 400,000 residents.

Decades of leaks, poor oversight, and recent fuel contamination have raised alarms across the islands. In response, the Kingdom of Hawai‘i, under the leadership of Ali‘i Nui Mōʻī Edmund Keli‘i Paki-Silva Jr., issued a Royal Resolution ordering the removal and relocation of the Red Hill fuel tanks

Why the Red Hill Facility Is a Threat

The Red Hill facility consists of 20 massive underground fuel tanks capable of holding 250 million gallons of fuel. Since 1943, at least 73 leaks have been documented, spilling more than 180,000 gallons of fuel into the surrounding soil and water.

In 2014, a single leak released 27,000 gallons. In 2021, multiple spills led to fuel-tainted water in military housing, forcing families from their homes and endangering thousands of residents. Tests showed petroleum levels in the water 350 times above safe standards

This contamination threatens:

• Oʻahu’s aquifer, the island’s primary drinking water source.
• 93,000 military and civilian residents in the Pearl Harbor-Hickam system.
• The broader community water supply, putting nearly 400,000 people at risk.

The Hawaiian Kingdom’s Royal Resolution

The Royal Resolution GOV 22-01 directly calls for:

• An immediate shutdown of the Red Hill facility.
• A full third-party assessment of the tanks and pipelines.
• Permanent relocation of the tanks to a site that poses no threat to Oʻahu’s water supply.
• Full compliance with Hawai‘i Department of Health emergency orders.

The resolution also urges Hawai‘i’s congressional delegation to pressure the U.S. Navy and federal government to act swiftly, emphasizing that safeguarding Hawai‘i’s natural resources must be the highest priority

Protecting Water, Land, and Sovereignty

The Red Hill Water Crisis is not only an environmental issue — it is also a sovereignty issue. For generations, the Hawaiian people have witnessed military mismanagement of sacred lands, from Kahoʻolawe to Pōhakuloa. The Kingdom’s resolution makes clear that Hawai‘i’s water and resources cannot continue to be endangered for military convenience.

By taking this stand, the Hawaiian Kingdom affirms its role as a defender of land (‘āina), water (wai), and the future of its people.

A Call to Action

The Red Hill Water Crisis serves as a wake-up call. Protecting Hawai‘i’s water is protecting Hawai‘i’s future. The Royal Resolution stands as a powerful statement that the people of Hawai‘i will not remain silent while their lifeline — the aquifer — is placed at risk.

As the Kingdom of Hawai‘i has declared: the time for relocation is now.