The US Navy announced Monday that it suspended use of an underground fuel tank farm in Hawaii that sits above an aquifer that supplies water to urban Honolulu.
The suspension, which reportedly went into effect on Nov. 27, comes after a water sample from the well showed the presence of petroleum.
About 1,000 military households near Pearl Harbor had complained their tap water smells like fuel. Others reported they suffered cramps and vomiting after consuming the water.
The World War II-era tank farm supplies fuel to many US military planes and ships that operate in the region.
The Navy’s water system serves roughly 93,000 people in Honolulu.
Navy officials said they would flush the distribution system with clean water to eliminate residential petroleum products from the water.
The water will also be tested in order to ensure it meets Environmental Protection Agency drinking standards. The process can take up to 10 days.
Hawaii’s governor and congressional delegation had called on the Navy to suspend operations.
With Post wires