Agencies can do more year

"On the Guam Power Authority side, there really needs to be a much better and ongoing job of tree and brush clearing around all power lines and poles.

Following the latest storm, it was great to see our power and water crews out ensuring that as much of the island as possible remained with power and the ability to get fresh water to drink.

Those on the streets deserve to be commended for their efforts while braving the storm and allowing those of us who were safely with our families to feel taken care of.

With that said, I must admit that I can't say the same for those managing those utilities in a number of areas.

For the Guam Waterworks Authority, it always frustrates me when I learn of wells that can't be powered because someone didn't do their job of ensuring that individual power generation units weren't properly maintained.

Having lived on Guam for 50 years now and being someone who has had a generator at his home (in one capacity or another) for most of those years, it is hard for me to understand why a generator at a water well does not function properly.

Granted things can happen from time to time but every generator at every well should be placed under load and run for a minimum of 30 minutes every month. This type of maintenance is critical to ensuring that when needed, these dependable diesels will start and operate properly thereby ensuring water flows throughout the island.

And, unless you have a fully enclosed and air-conditioned structure, you should not run your generator during a storm. It should be shut down, and once the storm has passed restarted if you want to beat the odds of failure.

Without these few critical elements being done correctly, you will most assuredly have failures and the consumers will suffer.

Clearing areas around power lines

On the Guam Power Authority side, there really needs to be a much better and ongoing job of tree and brush clearing around all power lines and poles.

GPA needs dedicated teams of workers that make their respective rounds throughout the island on a year-round basis trimming foliage from anywhere around or near power lines and poles. Additionally, someone from GPA needs to verify that it is being done and done correctly.

Recently I arranged for GPA to remove a tree that had completely engulfed a power pole and transformer and they did an excellent job. Problem is, I had to ask!

There are existing trees (overtaken by large green and white parasitic vines) in the same area as the tree I asked to have removed. Those trees will definitely take down the power lines in our housing area if not cut down and soon.

It seems to me that once a good islandwide sweep is made of all power lines that maintaining them in a clear and unobstructed manner will be far less expensive than replacing lines torn down as well as poles after a storm. Not to mention the man-hours and materials replacement costs associated with that work.

If it is not already in place, legislation may need to be considered that will give GPA the authority to properly trim any trees or brush that can potentially cause damage to any power line, transformer or pole even if the foliage is located on private land as opposed to a public easement.

Esta.

Lee P. Webber is a former president and publisher of media organizations on Guam and Hawaii, former director of operations for USA Today International/Asia and is a longtime business and civic leader on Guam.

Poll results are published every Monday in The Guam Daily Post.

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