By Gerardo R. Partido
Variety News Staff

THE Guam Waterworks Authority is holding three public hearings this month on its water resources master plan.
The first of the meetings is scheduled for today, 6 p.m. at the Sinajana mayor’s office. Subsequent meetings will be held on Jan. 10 at the Dededo mayor’s office and Jan. 17 at the Yona mayor’s office.
The master plan identifies work that is needed over the next 20 to 25 years at a cost of nearly $900 million to repair, restore, and refurbish the island’s water and wastewater infrastructure.
The plan, which will be used by GWA as a road map for making immediate and long-term infrastructure improvements, is also one of the action items required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under a stipulated agreement with GWA.
It cost GWA $5 million to come up with the master plan.
“We need to get the word out on our public hearings in January. These are very important meetings as it sets the final input for the water plans for Guam for the next 20 years. We want the public and key government officials to be there, and have a chance to have their say,” GWA public information officer Heidi Ballendorf said.
Aside from the village meetings, the public can also look at copies of the master plan on compact disc that have been distributed to the following locations for public view: University of Guam Library; Hagatna Library; Yona Library; Agat Library; Dededo Library; Guam Mayors’ Council; Office of the Governor, Central Files; Sinajana Community Center; Guam Environmental Protection Agency; Guam Bureau of Statistics and Plans; Department of Land Management; Water and Environment Resource Center at UOG; Guam Department of Public Works; Committee on Natural Resources, Guam Legislature; Utility Oversight Committee, Guam Legislature; and Office of Speaker Mark Forbes, Guam Legislature.
Public comments must be received by GWA by January 17, 2007. The responses may be delivered by hand or mail to Paul J. Kemp at GWA, 578 N Marine Corps Drive, Tamuning. Or they may be faxed at 646-2335 or sent by e-mail to paulkemp@guamwaterworks.org.