The USS Ford is finally home and will get its plumbing system repaired : NPR

Key Points:

• The USS Gerald R. Ford, after an extended deployment of nearly 19 months, has returned home to undergo repairs and upgrades, including fixing damage from a March fire and improving its problematic sewage system.
• The ship's unique Vacuum Collection, Holding, and Transfer (VCHT) sewage system, which uses smaller pipes and vacuum suction, has faced frequent issues such as loose hoses causing loss of suction and widespread plumbing failures.
• Crew members were enlisted to help identify leaks and maintain the system, with training sessions provided due to the system's complexity and the critical nature of keeping it operational during deployment.
• The Navy plans to install a subdivision fix used on the USS George HW Bush to isolate problems in smaller sections of the sewage system, preventing a single failure from affecting large areas of the ship.
• The Government Accountability Office previously noted the high maintenance costs of the Ford's sewage system, including expensive acid flushes that can only be performed while docked, which will now take place during the ship's maintenance period at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.