Brendan Rogers, assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations and environment, views the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility with members of the Navy Closure Task Force, Feb. 19, 2026. (Glenn Slaughter/Navy Closure Task Force)
Doctors treating patients exposed to water contaminated by jet fuel in Hawaii five years ago should carefully document those cases to build a database of long-term effects, according to a National Academies study issued Thursday.
Little is known of the risks of specific long-term health outcomes associated with exposure to JP-5 jet fuel, according to the report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine that was jointly sponsored by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.
JP-5 spilled from the Navy’s underground Red Hill storage facility in Hawaii in 2021 and contaminated groundwater used by thousands. The facility has since been permanently closed.
“Diagnostic or screening tests to determine past exposure are not currently available, underscoring the importance of clinical evaluation and ongoing patient-centered care,” the study committee said in a news release Thursday.
However, the study found “limited, suggestive evidence” linking jet fuel exposure to short-term respiratory, gastrointestinal, skin and mental health symptoms.
The report calls for continued environmental oversight of the Navy’s drinking water system and robust health surveillance of the exposed community.
The contaminated groundwater near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam made its way into the Navy’s water system that serves military housing on and around the base.
More than 93,000 people were impacted by the jet-fuel spill. Thousands were forced to temporarily relocate while the Navy flushed the system after isolating its contaminated well.
Many residents complained of conditions such as headaches, nausea and fatigue in the immediate aftermath; some say health problems continue to this day.
The National Academies study committee spent much of last year meeting with experts with the Veterans Administration, Defense Health Agency, Hawaii Department of Health and Red Hill community members.
The committee also met with the University of Hawaii’s Red Hill Registry, which connects individuals affected by the contamination to services, resources and information.
“The report identifies the challenges that are faced due to limited environmental and biological samples from the time of exposure,” the Red Hill Registry said in a statement Thursday.
“This highlights the importance of our work as a registry to collect long-term health information to fill the gaps in truly understanding how JP-5 exposure may impact the community over time.”
Jamie Simic, who now lives in Florida, was exposed to the contaminated water in the home she shared on the joint base with her Navy husband and two children. She and her family were plagued by a host of medical problems, which she believes arose from the exposure.
“The lack of timely and comprehensive collection of environmental and biological samples during peak exposure remains a critical gap, limiting both immediate response and long-term health understanding,” Simic said in an emailed statement Thursday.
The study found some residents still using the water system mistrust the Navy.
“Some residents using the formerly contaminated drinking water systems continue to distrust the safety of their drinking water, making exposure mitigation and reassurance a critical component of clinical care and patient counseling,” the news release states.
“Recovery from the Red Hill fuel releases will require sustained investment in public health, transparent communication, and cultural respect,” the report concludes.
“A formal Navy apology to those affected could signal accountability and support healing.”
