GWA eyes contract to expand aquifer monitoring
By Anumita Kaur
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The Guam Waterworks Authority may approve a construction contract this week to expand the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer s monitoring system.
It s part of a larger effort to rehabilitate and increase the monitoring capacity of the northern aquifer, which supplies the vast majority of the island s drinking water.
Waterworks, funded by about $3 million from a Department of Defense grant, aims to have 13 existing monitoring wells at the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer rehabilitated by the end of the year.
A construction contract for the existing wells renovation was awarded to a joint venture between Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company and Core Tech International. Three to four wells are fully refurbished so far, according to GWA General Manager Miguel Bordallo.
The Guam Waterworks Authority is increasing monitoring for the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer to maintain the health of the island s primary source of drinking water. We re just at the beginning stages. … There was a recognition that with the buildup occurring, both the Department of Defense, GWA and the island in general, we need to properly manage our water resources, said GWA General Manager Miguel Bordallo. The Northern Guam Lens Aquifer provides more than half the island s drinking water.
About 5,000 Marines, and 1,500 family members, from Okinawa and elsewhere will begin moving to Guam this decade as part of a larger realignment of U.S. military forces in the Asia-Pacific region. It includes construction of Camp Blaz, in Dededo, and the Mason Live-Fire Training Range Complex in Ritidian. The firing range complex is placed near the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer, which is cause for concern for many.
Groups voice dissent over lack of hearing for Ritidian danger zone
The danger zone will restrict access to the area for up to 75% of the year. This is something that has really appalled us, said Maria Hernandez. When we heard the news that they were going to deny us an opportunity for a public hearing, our first thought was it s just another injustice on top of numerous other issues that we ve had with this project from the beginning.
The groups plan to protest publicly Feb. 6 at both Adelup and the ITC intersection. The protest will take place across two locations to avoid crowding in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.