Yona water leak reaches 10' high

by Krystal Paco

Guam - Frustration is overflowing in the village of Yona as water leaks are gushing leaving residents with low water pressure. Residents of Pulantat may have a new unwanted landmark in their village in the form of a water leak that is gushing out ten feet high.

For neighboring residents like Jose Manibusan, the leak is the source of his battle with low water pressure for the past week. "They say 'conserve water' - good thing it's rainy season, but if it's in dry season, we'd be in bad shape," he projected. Manibusan attempted to visit Senator Tom Ada of the Committee on Utilities yesterday, but was unable to because Ada was in session. Manibusan's next stop - the governor.

"I intend to go to the Governor's Palace, you know the Bordallo's Complex. I might not see the governor, but I might see someone that can push this thing out and let those people work at GWA. What kind of workers do we have? As a taxpayer, you, me and everyone else we should take care of our resources, otherwise, no water. That's our main resource," Manibusan said.

Yona mayor Pedo Terlaje has also reached his boiling point when it comes to calling the Guam Waterworks Authority to make necessary repairs. Just down the street there's another leak that has been a problem for over three months, evident by the algae growing alongside the road. "Look at it - really, it's a crying shame. You know the employees of Waterworks come here and see that and still they don't do anything about it," the mayor shared with KUAM News. "They tell us to be conservative when we use water, but yet when we report the leaks as such, they don't do anything about it. The waiting time is like months."

According to GWA spokesperson Heidi Ballendorf, water leaks in the Yona area are common and despite repair efforts, water pipes often go broken again.