1M-gallon water tank project in Puerto Rico nearly done

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. is preparing for the completion of a multimillion-dollar project that figures prominently in the utility’s ability to deliver reliable water service to customers in Puerto Rico and the surrounding communities.

In 2014, the CNMI Water Task Force, in partnership with CUC, began work on the replacement of the dilapidated Puerto Rico water storage tank after an inspection revealed the failure of roof support rafters and other weaknesses in the tank that threatened failure.

The project was designed by Duenas, Camacho & Associates and construction of the tank was contracted to AIC Marianas. The first phase of the project began in August 2014 with the demolition of the pre-existing tank. Once completed, the welded steel tank will raise the level of water service provided to customers in Garapan, Puerto Rico, Lower Base, and Sadog Tasi for the next 30 years.

The $2-million project is funded through a $1.5-million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and $500,000 in matching funds from the Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs.

As the project nears completion, CUC continues work on additional major water projects, including the replacement of the Papago reservoir, better known as the former “Super Blue” tank.

This ongoing project was also identified as a critical need for continued reliable water storage in Papago and the neighboring communities. The 500,000-gallon welded steel tank has been dismantled and the foundation for the new 300,000-gallon pre-stressed reinforced concrete tank is already in place.

The $1.4-million project is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency through a Safe Drinking Water Act State Revolving Fund grant. The construction of the tank will take an estimated four months to complete and is scheduled to begin in May 2015.

CUC customers in Papago, San Vicente, and portions of Dandan, As Lito, and Finasisu who would otherwise be served by the Papago reservoir are currently served by temporary tanks with limited storage to mitigate water service interruptions during the construction of the new tank.

CUC has also identified tanks for replacement in the villages of Gualo Rai and San Vicente.

An inspection of the 200,000-gallon Gualo Rai tank revealed severe corrosion of the welded steel tank shell that threatens serviceability. The project has been identified as a critical need for continued reliable water storage in the Gualo Rai community. Temporary storage is planned to provide limited water service while the replacement tank is being built.

As with the Puerto Rico tank replacement, this is a Water Task Force project. The contact was awarded to USA Fanter Inc.; however, work on the Gualo Rai project will not proceed until the Puerto Rico tank replacement is completed.

The 500,000-gallon welded steel tank in San Vicente also needs to be replaced. CUC engineers and the tank inspection consultant determined this tank should be replaced as soon as funding is available. Until the tank is replaced, the water level in the tank has been reduced to ensure tank safety. As a result, water service hours may be reduced periodically and service pressures will be lower.

CUC encourages all customers in the affected communities to conserve water and those that have water tanks and cisterns to take steps to make sure that their on-site equipment is fully functional and sanitary.

For more information about the projects, contact the CUC Water Division at (670) 322-5030/31 or the Call Center at 664-4CUC (4282). (CUC)