by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - It was earlier this month when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a letter and inspection report to the Guam Waterworks Authority identifying numerous deficiencies with the agency's drinking water supply systems including a pattern of poor maintenance that could lead to further deterioration eventually impacting water quality. The letter resulted from an inspection USEPA conducted in May giving 45 days from the receipt of the letter to explain what GWA plans to do to address the deficiencies.

According to Consolidated Commission on Utilities chairman Simon Sanchez, during its Tuesday meeting, GWA instead will be seeking a 90-day extension to ensure it is able to have a comprehensive response to the deficiencies noted. Sanchez says the goal is to come up with solutions that are realistic and implementable adding "You can't solve a billion dollars worth of problems in a few months." He adds many of the findings outlined in the USEPA report had previously been identified by GWA already through its 2006 Water Resources Master Plan for Guam and its recent court order that also spells out both short term solutions along with some that may take a little longer.

These same reports also noted the needs for GWA would cost an estimated $1 billion to $1.5 billion in the next 20 years.