HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The Guam Solid Waste Authority will need an estimated $6.5 million in new equipment, with 38,000 new trash carts making up most of that cost, in order to conduct mandatory islandwide trash collection.
Additional new equipment include one flatbed truck with lift gate for bulky waste collection, four automated 30-cubic-yard garbage trucks and four automated 10- to 20-cubic-yard garbage trucks.
“This list is reduced from the actual needs,” said GSWA General Manager Larry Ghast. “If we were to continue on a four-day collection week, we would need much more equipment. We intend to extend the collection week to a six- or seven-day schedule. We could then utilize existing equipment for two to three additional days, thus reducing the need for additional equipment.”
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has committed to implementing islandwide trash collection as a measure to help combat illegal dumping.
The concept had been discussed for some time but legislation mandating that residents take part in trash collection services along with additional investment to expand the service is required to make the vision a reality.
GSWA Chairman Andrew Gayle said officials have discussed capital requirements for islandwide collection and the governor has committed to help find funding and not burden GSWA with additional debt. The agency can’t afford to implement islandwide services without external support, Gayle had previously stated.
In addition to paying millions of dollars annually on current debt service for the construction of Cell 3 at the Layon Landfill and for the post-closure care of the Ordot dump, the agency will soon need to set aside funding for a fourth cell at Layon.
This is on top of annual operations. Covid-19 significantly impacted the agency. Most of GSWA’s revenues are generated through commercial customers. Residential rates are insufficient to cover the true cost of service for those customers.
With fewer commercial customers and more residential customers to service, GSWA tapped into reserves meant for maintenance and new equipment purchases to make up its deficit, and the agency began experiencing more breakdowns.
Gast said in February that he anticipates the fleet maintenance bill to be more than $1 million this year.
Several of the agency’s current vehicles are not operational, either awaiting repair or to be surveyed so they can be discarded. GSWA provided an accounting of its current fleet as of April 29.
Out of 18 full-sized rear loaders, capable of holding 22 to 25 cubic yards, nine were operational. Of the remaining half, three were awaiting parts, two for used parts inventory and four were waiting to be surveyed.
Two of the agency’s mini-trash packers were operational. The one remaining was awaiting parts.
Four out of five baby packers, which hold 6 cubic yards, were operational. One was awaiting survey.
Out of four flatbed pickup trucks, only one was operational. The remaining three were awaiting survey. The agency’s lone flatbed truck with a lift gate was operational.
To address its costs, GSWA had directed Gast to procure services to assist with a rate petition to the Public Utilities Commission, which has authority over rate matters.
However, the agency is determining the timing of a rate change as it works with the governor and her team to refine the business case for islandwide trash collection.
GSWA hopes to receive some money from the American Rescue Plan to make up for revenue losses due to Covid-19, and that money will help offset an immediate requirement for a rate increase, which otherwise might have materialized at the beginning of 2022.
Guam Solid Waste Authority trucks are seen parked behind the GSWA administration building in the Harmon Industrial Park area on Oct. 26, 2020 in Tamuning.
The Guam Daily Post file photo
