Yigo community voices concern over Dieldrin in water

Residents in Yigo are demanding answers after high levels of dieldrin—a manmade chemical known as a human carcinogen—were found in one of the wells serving the area.  The discovery has prompting a do not drink warning for specific areas, leaving leaders working overtime to assist residents, especially manåmko’ and those with disabilities, who say notice of the threat came at the last minute.

Down the winding roads of Yigo’s Anao area, Vice Mayor Pedro Blas loads up cases of drinking water—delivering them to manåmko’ and residents with disabilities who can’t access safe water on their own. “We’re affected by the back gate of Andersen to Gayinero. So, that’s from here in Anao, and up. So, all these areas surrounding Andersen Air Force Base are affected," he explained.

These drop-offs are crucial—as affected areas remain under a “Do not drink without treatment” advisory—after the Guam Waterworks Authority detected high levels of dieldrin in a well serving the area. The chemical is classified by the US Environmental Protection Agency as a probable human carcinogen.

“Everyone says water is life, and right now it truly is," the vice mayor continued, "and our life has been infiltrated.”  For Blas, the crisis is personal. 

 “Myself and my family are affected—we’re from the same area that’s been affected, in Santa Rosa. So, every concern that they have, every disagreement they have of how it’s been brought about as far as sharing it with the community—I feel the same way. We waited a little too long for it to be addressed to us–and at the end of the day, we’ve been consuming this water, we’ve been showering in this water–and whoever is angry about it has only heard about it in the last week or so, they have every right to feel that way.”

According to GWA releases, water samples taken between December 19, 2024, and July 30, 2025, tested above the interim action level for dieldrin—established by the Guam EPA, which went into effect on August 1.  However, it wasn’t until September 12 that more than 1,000 customers were notified of the threat. 

Yigo resident Agnes Blas says that delay has real consequences, telling KUAM News, “With us cooking up here, washing/rinsing our mouths, and stuff like that...possibly being exposed to dieldrin. That’s worrisome, because we have senior citizens who are over 60, and we have the two man’amko who are heading for their nineties. What’s the answer to that if they were contaminated with this particular chemical?

“How do I feel? I feel frustrated and disgusted because GWA, who we’ve been paying for regularly, then they get the EPA to do an inspection...so, what took them so long is no excuse. There’s no excuse for that. The people should have known then, so that we can prepare ourselves for now. But because you gave us last-minute warnings of these chemicals seeping through our tanks, now what do you want us to do? We can’t backtrack.”

For the time being, GWA has set up fill stations and tanks around Yigo, while an over $6 million project to address the issue is slated for completion in 2026.  Still, residents say the burden is already heavy.

Agnes Blas noted, “Meanwhile, what do we do here? We have to purchase water on our own, purchase systems to prevent us from these cancerous health problems. What do we do now? It would be devastating to find out, because a couple of cousins died of cancer–we don't know how or why, just suddenly died of cancer. They have kidney cancer. We had a neighbor over there who had some type of internal cancer. Is that caused by the water?”

It’s worth noting in its own advisory, under the “What Does This Mean” section, GWA warning that water supplied in the area “exceeds the dieldrin ial and potentially represents an unacceptable long-term cancer risk.” Yet, residents say they are left with more questions than answers—after a recent town hall did little to clear up confusion.

The vice mayor said, “At the end of the day, those who are responsible for letting a chemical that was banned since the 80s get into our water system, should be held accountable and held responsible as such. And at least give us a sorry—even though a sorry isn’t going to fix anything right now, the least they can do is own up to the mistake and help us mitigate the problem right now–because at the end of the day, we’re going to wait for how long? People are still going to shower in the water, people are still going to cook in the water–not everybody is going to go and get water every single day.”