A Do Not Drink advisory is still in place after more than 1,100 households were told in September that their water supply from well Y-15 in Yigo contained the banned pesticide Dieldrin.
On Oct. 12, GWA completed installation of an interim treatment system for the well. The Do Not Drink order will not be lifted until after a series of test results. According to GWA, the decision to lift the order will be taken by GWA and Guam EPA, after testing. Nic Lee, PIO for GWA, told media on Oct. 13, that the first test results will likely be available in October. “We expect results back within seven to 10 business days.”
GWA's Y-15 water well in Yigo was outfitted with an interim water treatment system on Oct. 12. Photo by Skyler Obispo
Leewin T. Camacho, attorney with Camacho & Taitano LLP, said the practice issued a notice to sue “about two months ago,” he told the Journal on Oct. 14. He has been following progress, he said. “There’s been quite a lot of activity since then.”
He said his office has been investigating the timeline of which agencies knew what, and when.
U.S. EPA sent GWA and Guam EPA a “Finding of Significant Deficiencies” in GWA’s public water system in the 2012/2013 timeframe, Camacho said, and his office reached out to the two agencies about the letter. “They said they lost track of it,” he said.
Camacho’s office also served a Sunshine Act Freedom of Information request for documentation related to the dieldrin issue. “We received 1,150 documents on [Oct. 11],” he said.
As to whether Camacho’s practice would file a class action suit, Camacho said he could not confirm that at this point. However, he said, “We’re not ruling it out.” mbj
Task Force Talon relinquished command to the 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment (3-43 ADA), ushering in a new battalion to take over Guam’s air missile defense systems.
Emergency management agencies across the region are urging residents and businesses to execute disaster preparedness plans as Tropical Storm 09W is forecast to rapidly intensify and potentially strike Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as a Category four super typhoon.
HDR AECOM Infrastructure JV of Honolulu was awarded June 30 CHamoru Standard Time a $100 million “firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for architect-engineer services,” according to a release from the U.S. Department of War.
The Guam Energy Office turned over eight plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to Guam Department of Health and Social Services, Department of Youth Affairs, Department of Public Works, alongside GEO on June 30.
