Navy to comply with orders amid water contamination crisis

Hundreds of Hawaii residents reported symptoms due to water contamination from the Navy Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

Navy leaders were questioned by the House Armed Services subcommittee on Readiness on Tuesday concerning the November fuel leak at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Hawaii that contaminated drinking water for thousands of households.

The Navy announced in the hearing that it will follow orders from state health officials to halt operations at its Red Hill facility.

"The Navy caused this problem," said Blake Converse, rear admiral of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, during the hearing. "We own it. And we're going to fix it."

He said that the recent spill is likely due to an operator error, but that an independent investigation will look into potential causes, as well as systemic connections to past spills at the facility.