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9 water bottling firms produce safe drinking water
The Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulate all public water systems in the CNMI to ensure that the water systems provide safe water to the public. As of the end of June 2015 there were 69 active public water systems in the CNMI. These public water systems include the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. water systems on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota; bottled water companies; hotels and resorts that have their own source of water; and restaurants, apartment buildings and other small businesses that have their own source of water that they treat and provide to the public or their employees.
There are 14 companies on Saipan regulated by BECQ that make drinking water specifically for the 5-gallon refillable bottles. As of Aug. 25, nine of these companies are in operation producing and in some cases delivering drinking water. Personnel from BECQ and USEPA have inspected and collected samples from all of the active bottle water companies. The nine active bottled water companies on Saipan are producing safe drinking water. These companies are:
• Aqua Water (San Antonio)
• Eucon Water (Papago)
• JG Sablan (Garapan)
• Marianas Ice and Water (Capital Hill)
• Payless Market (Chalan Kanoa)
• Saipan Ice and Water (Lower Base)
• S.T.A.R. Marianas Inc. (Iliying)
• The Water Company (Lower Base)
• Twinkle Bright (San Antonio)
BECQ and EPA personnel are in the process of inspecting and sampling the other Public water systems on Saipan. To date, all hotels, resorts and restaurants inspected are also providing safe water.
Currently, CUC on Saipan is unable to provide 24-hour water in their pipes. Since the pipes are periodically empty, the pipes are subject to contamination from water in the ground. BECQ encourages everyone to sanitize any water provided by CUC by either boiling for 1 to 5 minutes, or by adding chlorine bleach according to the chart below.
Water disinfection
Water may be disinfected by adding a small amount of household bleach (non-scented), such as clorox using the following chart:
