CHC fails to monitor water for disinfection byproducts in 2008

The Commonwealth Health Center failed to monitor its drinking water for disinfection byproducts in 2008, according to a citation issued to CHC by the Division of Environmental Quality, a copy of which was obtained by Saipan Tribune yesterday.

If CHC fails to take steps outlined by DEQ to correct the violations, the division may issue an administrative order against CHC that may include administrative fines of up to $25,000 per day for each violation of the CNMI Drinking Water Regulations.

The CNMI Drinking Water Regulations require community and non-transient non-community public water systems to monitor annually for disinfection byproducts.

DEQ director Frank M. Rabauliman, in a Feb. 18 notice of violation addressed to Health Secretary Joseph Kevin P. Villagomez, said division records showed that CHC’s water system failed to perform the proper monitoring during the January 2008 to December 2008 monitoring period.

“Accordingly, Commonwealth Health Center is in violation of the parts 2141.132 of the CNMI Drinking Water Regulations,” Rabauliman told Villagomez in the two-page notice of violation.

Villagomez is currently off-island. Acting Health Secretary Pete Untalan did not return this reporter’s call at press time yesterday for comment on the notice of violation.

As of yesterday, it was learned that DEQ did not receive any monitoring report or results from CHC.

Rabauliman asked CHC to perform the required sampling as soon as possible, but no later than Dec. 31, 2009.

“You must actually collect and send the sample to a laboratory by this date. Simply paying for the sample is not sufficient to avoid another violation,” Rabauliman said.

The DEQ director also instructed the government hospital to notify its customers and staff of the monitoring violation by hand delivery and by continuous posting in conspicuous places within the area served by CHC’s water system.

CHC is also required to send DEQ a copy of the notice to customers, with the date of the notice, the method of notification, and, if posted, the locations of posting.

“Posting [of the notice] must continue for as long as the violation exists or for a minimum of seven days. You must repeat notice by posting/delivery annually for as long as the violation exists.