NANAKULI — The Army last night addressed community concerns about munitions dumped at the end of World War II at "Ordnance Reef" on the Wai'anae Coast and suggested that a cleanup of some type will be undertaken.

"I think it's highly likely that something's going to come out of that water," said Tad Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for environmental safety and occupational health.

Part of the problem, though, is that some of the old munitions are encased in coral, officials said.

If a high-explosive round is found to not have a fuse, it can be removed, but if it's impossible to tell because of coral, it would have to be blown up in place.

"You go in there and try to remove them, there's some damage that can occur to the reef," Davis said.

About 75 people gathered at Nanaikapono Elementary School for a meeting of the Wai'anae Coast Neighborhood Board to discuss dumped munitions.

Wai'anae Coast residents in April demanded that the military clean up thousands of tons of explosive and chemical munitions dumped decades ago in waters off the Wai'anae Coast.

Ordnance Reef covers a five-square-mile area off Poka'i Bay where munitions have been found in water 45 feet to several hundred feet deep.

The call was preceded by the release of a study conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that concluded that about 2,000 rounds of dumped ammunition, including 3-foot artillery projectiles, pose no danger in relatively shallow waters.

Michael Overfield, a NOAA marine archaeologist, last night said 49 biological samples were taken and that the majority had detectable levels of zinc and arsenic, though they were below levels at which the Food and Drug Administration would take action.

Out of 47 sediment samples, five had detectable levels of munitions consistent with the high explosive DNT, he said.

Dr. David Reed of the U.S. Army Medical Command said "there's not an immediate danger" and no long-term health risk.

Eric DeCarlo, a University of Hawai'i professor in the oceanography department, said copper and zinc may have come from vehicle tires and road runoff, but he said the quality of the water column is "excellent."

High arsenic levels by the sewage treatment outflow "is a significant question and science doesn't have a whole lot of answers," Reed said.

Davis also said none of the munitions identified at Ordnance Reef are chemical, but that chemical weapons were dumped 10 miles offshore.

Davis told the audience that at no time has the Army said "that we're not going to take action, that we're not going to remove anything from the ocean. I think nothing could be further from the truth."

"That's why we're here tonight, to engage with you all in discussion and figure out what's the way ahead," he said.

Davis said he wants to get the community's input and insights "so we, the military, don't launch on a path that's not in concert with what the community wants to do."

Some of those in attendance said they appreciated that Davis and other officials were there to talk with them.

But Neddie Waiamau-Nunuha, a member of the Wai'anae Coast Neighborhood Board, asked the officials, "When are you going to clean our beaches?"

Davis said he was "extremely confident" in the survey that has been made of the area, "however that's not the end of it." There are still the chemical disposal sites about 10 miles off Wai'anae and five to 10 miles off Pearl Harbor that the Army is trying to assess, he said.

Davis said he will meet with state and federal officials in Hawai'i tomorrow and that future community updates are planned. However, he said he couldn't answer when a cleanup of Ordnance Reef will be conducted.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.