The Guam Environmental Protection Agency (Guam EPA) along with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the third Groundwater Under the Direct Influence of Surface Water workshop.
The workshop will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow at the Guam Plaza Hotel. Bruce Macler and Barry Pollock from U.S. EPA's Region 9 Drinking Water Office will lead the discussion.
"Groundwater under the direct influence of surface water," or GWUDI refers to groundwater where water at the surface, like rainwater, can wash pollutants down to a well without any natural purification. GWUDI wells need additional treatment to make the water safe.
The focus of the workshop is to initiate a water quality study on the Northern Guam Lens. The study would determine if wells, the aquifer and or sub-basins qualify as GWUDI and suggest appropriate treatment for GWUDI and non-GWUDI wells.
The Northern Guam Lens encompasses the northern half of Guam. Aquifers like Guam's are generally regarded to be sensitive to contamination from surface activities. There are many sources of potential contamination on Guam s surface including raw sewage from recharge wells or basins or small-scale farming operations with animals. Because of the long history of microbial and chemical contamination of Guam s groundwater, disinfection of water at the wells is mandatory.
The workshop will include representatives from U.S. EPA, Guam EPA, Guam Waterworks Authority, the University of Guam's Water and Environmental Research Institute (WERI), the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force, Foremost Foods and the Guam Plaza Hotel
For more information or to arrange an interview with Mr. Macler or Mr. Pollock, please contact Tammy Anderson at 475-1663 or 688-9800.
