CUC cited anew for violation of drinking water regulations

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. has been cited for violations of the CNMI drinking water standards due to the presence of too much fecal coliform in several of its water samples.

In an Oct. 4 notice of violation, the Division of Environmental Quality reported that 18 of the samples taken from CUC’s water system in August exceeded the 5-percent maximum contaminant level for total coliform bacteria.

Under the CNMI drinking water regulations, no more than 5 percent of the samples collected in a month can contain coliform. Further, a public water system collecting fewer than 40 samples per month can have no more than one positive total coliform bacteria sample per compliance period.

In August, the utility firm furnished DEQ with a total of 153 water samples, or almost double the required 80 samples, from the CNMI’s three major islands.

DEQ director John I. Castro noted, however, that too much coliform bacteria were found in nine of the 136 samples from Saipan. Analysis by the environmental agency also showed that eight of the nine samples from Rota, and one of the eight samples from Tinian exceeded the maximum contaminant level for coliform.

CUC also failed to take the required repeat samples from all of the three islands.

DEQ had required 12 repeat samples from Saipan, 24 from Rota, and three from Tinian, but CUC provided none from any of the islands.

Castro urged the utility firm to take actions to ensure that its drinking water does not exceed the maximum contaminant level for total coliform in the future. He noted that DEQ staff are available to meet with CUC to discuss proper sampling procedures and common treatment technologies.

CUC was also instructed to immediately notify its customers and staff that the firm has been in violation of the CNMI Safe Drinking Water Regulations.

Castro said CUC may either post a public notice in conspicuous places within the area served by the water system for at least 10 days or hand deliver the notice to every user.

“This notice of violation is your official notice…. If your water system fails to take steps outlined…to correct the violations, DEQ may issue an administrative order that can include administrative fines. The maximum penalty authorized for violations of CNMI Drinking Water Regulations is $25,000 per day of violation for each violation,” Castro said.

According to DEQ’s sample public notice, the presence of coliform bacteria in drinking water indicates that water may be contaminated with organisms that cause illness. Disease symptoms may include diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and possibly jaundice, and any associated headaches and fatigue.

These symptoms, however, are not just associated with disease-causing organisms in drinking water, but also may be caused by a number of factors other than your drinking water, the draft notice stated.