Water service updates

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. is in the process of restoring pressurized water to Saipan’s villages and limited water service has already resumed in some locations.

The installation of a generator from the Army Corps of Engineers will allow CUC to begin charging the lines in Chalan Kiya today, Aug. 11. In advance of the line pressurization, customers are asked to check that all household water faucets and hose bibs are turned off as water begins to fill the distribution lines.

The limited water service in Chalan Kiya will initially be available for approximately two hours and will increase once Water personnel make their assessment of the system.

On Sunday, CUC charged the lines in three sections, beginning with the village of Chalan Kanoa in the first phase, and the villages of Susupe, Oleai, and San Jose in the second phase. CUC proceeded with the third phase of the restoration yesterday morning with the villages of San Antonio and Chalan Piao.

Customers between San Antonio and Oleai can expect to receive three hours of water per day at times to be released by CUC.

CUC will next proceed to pressurize the water lines north to Quartermaster Road in Chalan Laulau. As with the previous phases, water will initially be available for approximately two hours and up to four hours once Water personnel make their assessment of the system.

Given the challenges to water production and distribution posed by Typhoon Soudelor, it is critical for the community to immediately notify CUC of any water leaks. To report water leaks, contact CUC Water Manager Bernard Keremius by calling 888-6615.

As efforts to return water service to the villages continue, CUC will provide water to the residents of Saipan at five filling stations.

CUC will provide up to 100 gallons of water per household per day in As Teo, Capital Hill, Kannat Tabla, Kagman, and Navy Hill from 10am to 5pm daily, as we continue to restore essential services that were rendered inoperable by Typhoon Soudelor.

The filling stations in Kannat Tabla and Kagman will continue daily operations until the supply in each of the reservoirs is depleted. The Agag, Capital Hill, and Navy Hill reservoirs are filled by water flowing from the same pump and will remain open indefinitely, provided the pumping system is operational or until CUC achieves a more stable solution to Saipan’s water needs.

The water made available at the filling stations is strictly for non-commercial residential use. No water buffaloes will be filled.

Until further notice, all water provided by CUC will also need to be sanitized through the use of chlorine bleach or boiling before it can be used by the community.

Instructions for sanitizing

FOR BOILING: Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.

FOR CHLORINATING: Alternatively, customers may also disinfect their water using bleach. As a result, we advise the community to boil their water or disinfect with bleach using the following measurements:

NOTE: Allow the water to stand in a covered container, away from the sunlight, if possible, for at least 30 minutes.

The water filling stations serve as CUC’s response to the community’s immediate need for water. Our engineers have spent days assessing site capabilities and developing a strategy with the Army Corp of Engineers to improve our water situation.

Once integrated into the CUC network, generators from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will restore CUC’s ability to produce water, albeit in a reduced capacity.

The generators will serve as a temporary solution to the water outage, as engineers continue restoration of CUC’s water production capability on a permanent basis.

For more information, visit CUC’s website, www.cucgov.org, or contact CUC’s Customer Call Center at 664-4CUC (664-4282). (CUC)