Guam EPA and Public Health close Inarajan Bay due to sewage

The Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) working with the Guam Environmental Protection Agency (Guam EPA) today issued a closure for Inarajan Bay.

A sewage leak has been identified in the near vicinity and is affecting the water quality of the bay. Residents are advised not to go in the water at Inarajan Bay until further notice.

Raw sewage poses a significant threat to the environment and increases public health risks. DPHSS and Guam EPA will continue to work together to monitor the situation. Guam EPA’s Monitoring and Analytical Services Division will be taking samples to test for bacteria in the water.

DPHSS and Guam EPA will announce when the closure is lifted on the Agency’s website, Facebook page and Twitter account.

Swimming, fishing or playing in unsafe waters may result in minor illnesses
such as sore throats or diarrhea. It might also result in more serious illnesses
such as meningitis, encephalitis, or severe gastroenteritis. Children, the elderly
and people with weakened immune systems have a greater chance of getting sick when
they come in contact with contaminated water.

For more information about beach closures, contact DPHSS’s Public Information Officer
Bertha Taijeron at 735-7125 or via email at bertha.taijeron@dphss.guam.gov.

For more information about the testing, contact Guam EPA’s Public Information Officer
Tammy Jo Anderson Taft at 300-4751/52/53, 988-7582 or email
at TammyJoAnderson.Taft@epa.guam.gov