JIC Release No. 25 - Utilities Update: Guam Power Authority and Guam Waterworks Authority - GHS OCD

GWA

GWA northern water systems are operating normally.

GWA continues to monitor reservoir levels in Yigo and Mt. Santa Rosa, and is seeing improvement. Central and Southern water booster pump station issues at Access, Pago Bay, Nimitz Hill, Maina and Pigua stations have been resolved and service has been restored. In the south, Ugum Water treatment plant is on line and producing sufficient water for the service area.

GWA is working with GPA to bring facilities off of generator power as restoration efforts move forward, and resolve any issues as the grid stabilizes.

The only area that remains without water is Agat-Umatac / Upper Santa Ana. A tanker has been deployed to this area. GWA has resolved production to the Agana Heights-Chaot service area, and service to elevated areas in Chaot have been restored.

Wastewater System:
All treatment plants are operating normally. Some of the smaller southern sewage pump stations without generators are being managed with pump trucks until island power can be restored. GWA is working with GPA to bring facilities off of generator power as restoration efforts move forward, and resolve any issues as the grid stabilizes.

GPA

On Friday, September 14, 2018, GPA crews continued working systematically:

Restoring power to the final two GPA distribution power lines serving Southern Guam
Clearing paths and making repairs for restoration from Agat-Umatac-Merizo on the southwest side of the island; while simultaneously working from Talofofo through Malojloj and Inarajan to Merizo on the southwest side of the island to loop and energize all of southern Guam
Also working full force in the north and central sectors focusing on making repairs in the more challenging village and neighborhood areas that have yet to be energized
To energize all GDOE schools
Working to energize Talofofo to Malojloj near the former Flores Poultry Farm

GPA restoration progress of the day included these areas:

Chalan La Chance, Paradise Estates, Chalan Henry Kaiser, NCS, Adacao, Latte Plantation, Guafe
Lane
Energized Maina village
Repairing and energizing from the Talofofo Substation to the Tarzan Falls area
Energized Talofofo Village to Surfside area
Bringing power from Umatac to the Merizo Pier area

GPA advises all customers that periodic 30-minute outages or power interruptions to customers may have be taken, as the island wide power system continues to stabilize. GPA may take one or multiple outages on an already energized power line which may fail from heat causing weak points on a line; or so that GPA can energize additional customers onto a circuit serving the area.

As restoration increases daily, customer load will rise and system reliability of the overall island wide power system will improve and normalize.

In such restoration efforts, an area may become energized and some customers may not receive power service. GPA asks for continuing patience and to know that the GPA crews will return their continued patience Customers and residents are reminded that safety is paramount for all working crews,” stated GPA General Manager John M. Benavente. “Electricity is unforgiving and the outcome is typically fatal when there is an accident,” he added. “Working systematically and safely each step of the way, GPA will complete power restoration island wide,” Benavente concluded.

For a copy of GPA's full release, click here.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

JIC Release No. 25 - Utilities Update: Guam Power Authority and Guam Waterworks Authority