What to Expect During Home Flushing

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Thomas | HONOLULU (Jan. 13, 2022) - Equipment Operator 2nd Class Joshua Dunn (left) and Builder 2nd Class Devin Milliganhawk, assigned to Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 303, walk to a house to begin the home water system flushing restoration process in the Radford Terrace community. The Interagency Drinking Water System Team is a joint initiative where the U.S. Navy is working closely with the Hawaii Department of Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army to restore safe drinking water to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam housing communities through sampling and flushing. For detailed information, go to: www.navy.mil/jointbasewater. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Christopher Thomas)  

HONOLULU, HI, UNITED STATES

01.18.2022

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Omar N Rubi 

Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Jan. 18, 2022) – Using a zone-based approach, the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) Interagency Drinking Water System Team (IDWST) is conducting residential and non-residential flushing.

Home flushing, as the processes is commonly known, is performed after zone system flushing is complete, and the water has been sampled. The IDWST reviews the sample results from certified labs and determines whether home flushing can begin.

Upon approval from the IDWST, a trained, two-person team will visit each home to perform the home flushing process. Supervisors may also accompany the team to assist and answer questions.

Residents will receive home-flushing notification no less than 48 hours prior and should follow these steps: empty sinks, dishwashers, and washing machines; secure pets; and ensure minor children are supervised.

Residents are not to perform their own home flushing.

Trained personnel who conduct the flushing, will drain hot water heater tanks, open exterior hose bibs, open interior faucets, run dishwashers, flush refrigerators, and refill the hot water heater tanks. For refrigerators in military housing communities, teams will replace the refrigerator filters.

During the residential and non-residential flushing process, trained personnel will use tablet devices that are loaded with the step-by-step checklist and procedural videos to ensure flushing personnel accurately perform and document each step in the process.

All home flushing teams will adhere to current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and State of Hawaii, JBPHH and U.S. Army COVID-19 safety protocols. Prior to entering the home, the technicians will read a COVID-19 questionnaire to residents to ensure the home is safe to enter. If someone in the residence is COVID-19 positive, residents should contact the Army Task Force Ohana hotline at 808-620-7938/7951 or the Navy hotline at 808-449-1979.

NOTE: After the home flushing process is complete, water is not yet fit for human consumption. The Hawaii Department of Health will announce amendments to its health advisory when the water is ready to be used for consumption. Until the advisory is amended, Navy water system users should avoid using the water for drinking, cooking, or oral hygiene. This includes consumption by pets. Navy water system users who detect a fuel-like odor from their water should also avoid using the water for bathing, dishwashing or laundry.

The IDWST is a joint initiative between the U.S. Navy, Hawaii Department of Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army to restore safe drinking water to areas served by the Navy water distribution system on Ohau through sampling and flushing. For detailed information, go to: www.navy.mil/jointbasewater or https://home.army.mil/hawaii/index.php/water.

• Date Taken: 01.18.2022
• Date Posted: 01.18.2022 21:28
• Story ID: 413057
• Location: HONOLULU, HI, US