CUC eyes other sources of funds for water, wastewater projects

Sirok

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. continues to look for other sources of funding for water and wastewater related projects, according to CUC legal counsel James S. Sirok.

In CUC’s status report filed in federal court yesterday, Sirok disclosed that CUC has been able to acquire funds from the U.S. Economic Development Authority for a sewer line project in Lower Base.

Sirok said CUC is still in the application process for funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a project related to the installation of filters for two wells within Commonwealth Ports Authority premises. The wells, he said, have been closed because of contaminants.

Sirok said CUC’s continued positive progress on Stipulated Order 1 matters is directly related to the federal grant funding provided to CUC from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of the Interior.

“These funds have been used for specifically identified SO1 projects and for projects otherwise identified on a priority basis in accordance with planning developed and mandated SO1 to repair and maintain CUC’s water and wastewater infrastructure,” he said.

SO1 focuses on drinking water and wastewater issues and the restructuring of CUC’s organization.

Sirok is happy to report that all SO1 upper management positions required to be filled under SO1 have been filled.

He said CUC hired Seong Kim as its chief engineer to replace the vacancy created when John Riegel resigned.

Sirok also disclosed that 17 wells are now back in operation as part of CUC’s effort to provide 24-hour drinking water service to Saipan.

CUC has reported that approximately 96 percent of Saipan has 24-hour water service.

CUC has also reported that non-revenue water loss has been fluctuating up and down between 62 percent and 75 percent as water pressure in water lines has increased due to increased pumping from water wells.

Sirok said the increase pumping has provided CUC with the ability to fill several water tanks servicing the various island’s water lines to over 75 percent capacity on a daily basis.

He said CUC also discovered instances of water theft and referred these cases to the CNMI Attorney General’s Office for action. However, Sirok said, to date CUC is not aware of any prosecutions of water theft cases.

Last February, U.S. District Court for the NMI designated Judge David O. Carter disclosed the discovery of massive water fraud taking place on Saipan, citing an unaccounted loss of thousands of gallons of water per day.