Guam is an island in the Pacific Ocean. A dad and lawyer named Leevin Camacho learned that his family’s tap water contained **dieldrin**, an old bug-killing chemical that can make people sick. Families were warned not to drink it. Officials are investigating where it came from; a nearby U.S. military base is one suspected source.

The military is building more places for soldiers, ships, and airplanes on Guam and nearby islands. Big digging machines are clearing land. Some people welcome the jobs and protection. Others worry about dirty water, lost forests, harmed sea animals, and places important to their families.

Guam’s CHamoru people have lived there for thousands of years. Other countries later took control, and wars hurt many families. Today, residents want more say in what happens to their home.

Camacho and other community helpers use the law to protect people and nature. They have already helped save an ancient village site, though many problems remain.

There aren’t silly jokes here. **“Swept under the rug”** means hiding a problem instead of fixing it—not actually putting dirty water under a carpet!