MULTIPLE TEST RESULTS CONFIRM Y-15 TREATMENT SYSTEM EFFECTIVE, GWA REQUESTS GEPA RESCIND DO NOT DRINK ADVISORY

Today, the Guam Waterworks Authority (GWA) submitted a formal response to the Guam Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), requesting to rescind the “Do Not Drink Without Treatment” advisory for the Santa Rosa/Yigo area.

GWA’s letter follows four weeks of comprehensive monitoring, treatment, and testing that confirms GWA’s drinking water from well Y-15 has no detection of dieldrin. Laboratory analysis performed with raw and finished water samples collected on Oct. 11, Oct. 16, Oct. 23, and Oct. 29 have each returned a result of “NON-DETECT” in the treated water and is now reliably below Guam EPA’s Interim Action Level of 0.2 parts per billion.

“We have worked diligently to implement corrective actions at Well Y-15, conduct comprehensive testing, and verify that the water is now safe to drink, cook with, and use for bathing. Based on this data and validation of the treatment system’s effectiveness, we are confident it is appropriate to request that the order be rescinded,” said GWA General Manager Miguel C. Bordallo.

Residents will be notified immediately once Guam EPA officially rescinds the advisory, via local media, GWA social media platforms and guamwatersafety.com.

Since Guam EPA issued the advisory on Sept. 12, GWA has expedited, installed and operated an interim granular activated carbon treatment system, increased sampling and testing frequency, distributed courtesy bottled water and provided fill stations to affected residents, established a program to provide and install point-of-entry and point-of-use filtration systems to affected homes and businesses, and launched guamwatersafety.com to inform the public on its response to treatment of dieldrin in its water sources as well as topics related to safe, clean drinking water.

In addition to guamwatersafety.com, residents with questions about their water service or quality can contact GWA Customer Service at 671-647-7800 Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. The Guam EPA has also established a hotline at 671-888-4342 for customers who have health risk or water safety questions, available Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.