The Office of the Attorney General of Guam launched a formal civil and criminal investigation into Guam Waterworks Authority for its failure to fix road pavement it damages following its line repairs along roadways.
“For years GWA profited from maintaining and charging water ratepayers for sewer & water services, and not properly restoring the People of Guam’s roadways on main thoroughfares and within our Villages,” Attorney General Douglas Moylan wrote in a news release Monday.
“Our Office is in the process of investigating specific locations and contacting our Village Mayors. I strongly recommend that your engineering and management staff immediately touch base with AG Investigator Keane Pangelinan,” Mr. Moylan wrote in a November 27 letter to GWA general manager Miguel Bordallo. “We also request that GWA management send to us your mitigation plan on how GWA intends to immediately restore illegal damages to roadways that ensure a level and lasting repair that will match if not exceed the original roadway surface integrity (i.e. compaction and concrete patch and or hot asphalt). All repair proposals will be scrutinized by DPW or private engineers.”
The letter, which notified GWA of the ongoing investigation, validates suspicions from the everyday Guamanian about the cause of many, if not most, potholes.
“For years GWA collected revenues profiting from operating its sewer and water utility service providing water to rate-paying customers. As part of its operations, leaks occurred beneath government-owned roadways requiring repairs,” Mr. Moylan wrote to Mr. Bordallo. “However, after digging up the roadway, GWA consistently failed to properly restore the People of Guam’s property. GWA’s act, or lack thereof, took from the People of Guam value. GWA created potholes and speed bumps in a previous level surface threatening both motorists and pedestrians alike, let alone simply damaging road surfaces. It has also caused motorists to veer into other lanes, including oncoming traffic, to avoid GWA’s illegal damages, endangering the public safety.”
The attorney general enclosed maps and pictures displaying some of the potholes and unsafe road conditions along Alageta Road in Dededo, which appears to be the OAG’s first test case in its investigation. “GWA personnel have caused no fewer than 7 areas of damage to a highly traveled roadway in Dededo along Alageta Street,” Mr. Moylan wrote to Mr. Bordallo.
The OAG also created a complaint form for residents to report illegal damage to the OAG. The form is being disseminated to mayors offices and also is available online and below.
“They will be compiled by our team of civil and criminal investigators in our investigating and possibly prosecution of GWA management and other government officials responsible for these illegal damages,” the OAG news release states. “GWA’s sloppy and mismanaged ‘repair’ operations constitute a clear and present threat to the People of Guam, and poses an injury to our Community. Protecting the Public Interest requires that we act.”
