HONOLULU — Two elementary schools near Pearl Harbor say “chemical-like” smells were coming from water lines on their campuses, the state Department of Education said Monday.
The news came a day after the Navy said it was investigating reports of a chemical smell in drinking water at military housing near Pearl Harbor.
The odors were detected at Nimitz Elementary and Red Hill Elementary. Department of Education spokesperson Nanea Kalanai said there were no plans to close either school.
The schools have bought bottled water for students and taped off sinks. They were providing hand sanitizer so students may clean their hands. The cafeterias were preparing meals that won’t require the use of water.
On Sunday, Navy Region Hawaii said engineers visited several homes of families who reported the chemical smell and also immediately went to Navy’s drinking water wells to investigate. There was no smell or sign of fuel or chemicals in the water at the Navy’s water wells and water tanks, the Navy said.
Specialists took samples of water at several locations for testing.
The smells come on the heels of a series of revelations about fuel leaks associated with the naval base and its massive underground fuel tanks at nearby Red Hill.