Jet fuel leaked into drinking water aboard Navy aircraft carrier
The water has since been determined safe to use.
BY HALEY BRITZKY | PUBLISHED SEP 21, 2022 4:50 PM
Sailors aboard the USS Nimitz were unable to use the water aboard their ship last week for three days after it was discovered that jet fuel leaked into the crew’s water supply.
Lt. Cmdr. Adam Demeter, spokesman for the USS Nimitz, confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that the aircraft carrier “identified traces of jet propellant-5 (JP-5), used to fuel carrier based aircraft, in the ship’s potable water supply while operating off the coast of southern California” last Friday.
“The crew immediately took action to secure access to the ship’s potable water and provide bottled water to the crew,” Demeter said. “After conducting a thorough flush and inspection of its potable water system, fresh water has been restored to the ship. The water onboard the ship is safe for use and the health and wellbeing of all of our sailors is a top priority.”
Cmdr. Zach Harrell, a Commander, Naval Air Forces spokesman, told Task & Purpose in an additional statement that the crew was notified of the contamination over the ship’s PA system after leadership had secured access to the potable water system. The water was “thoroughly tested” and ultimately deemed safe three days later on Sept. 19.
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/navy-fuel-leak-uss-nimitz/