Mäkua Valley and the U.S. Army

The Vieques of the Pacific

  • Mäkua sits over the Kea'au aquifer, which may be connected to the MŠkaha aquifer - over 4000 residents of MŠkaha get their water from the MŠkaha aquifer.

  • Dangerous levels of lead and nickel have already been found in the groundwater at one site in Mäkua, but complete testing hasn't been done.

  • Under Federal regulations, Mäkua is considered a Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU). However, the Army has not made a complete disclosure of what has been dumped there since 1941.

  • The Army has disposed of 10.5 million lbs. of waste in Mäkua-over 50% which is considered hazardous.

  • Waste materials disposed in Mäkua include:
    High explosives: TNT, DNT, white phosphorus
    Toxic chemicals: cyanide, radioactive cesium
    Heavy metal: lead, mercury, chromium

  • Disposal of an unknown number of tons of ordinance from Vietnam

  • Three hundred fifty 900-lb napalm bombs

  • Picric acid and other toxic materials