Garapan gets more water hours with completion of CUC project

Residents and businesses in Garapan now have a more stable water supply following the completion yesterday of the Puerto Rico transmission and distribution waterline project, bringing additional hours of water service to customers.

Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Areas Tony Babauta and acting governor Eloy S. Inos led yesterday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, held at the Puerto Rico tank site. Both officials praised the performance of the CNMI Water Task Force for completing the project on time.

Funded by a $344,000 Office of Insular Affairs grant, the project was done in seven months, lasting from Feb. 2 to Sept.12 this year. The contractor was AIC Marianas Inc.

Inos said that OIA was instrumental in the project’s completion and commended its officials, Babauta and OIA director Nick Pula, for their constant follow-up and oversight for the project.

“This project signifies another milestone in our desire to provide essential public services. Water has been a major challenge from the time I was growing up when we’re only using rainwater as main source. Now, I can say that we have a lot of villages around the islands that are enjoying 24-hour service. Today…we can extend services to some 7,000 additional customers. This is a major accomplishment,” said Inos.

CUC has about 50,000 water customers on Saipan.

Babauta, for his part, lauded the Fitial administration for making the project a priority. By having high quality water and services, the CNMI—like any other place—will be able to attract more people to invest and stay, he said.

Water Task Force director Pete Sasamoto shared yesterday the many challenges that were faced by AIC Marianas Inc. during the construction, including the permitting requirements.

According to Travis Spaeth, acting water and wastewater manager for CUC, the completion of the new transmission and distribution waterline project will benefits customers in Garapan where only about 50 percent of customers have non-stop water supply.

From only a few hours of water service, Garapan customers will now enjoy an additional three hours of service because of the project, Spaeth said.

CUC deputy executive director Alan Fletcher said the project is only one part of several major water projects that when all completed, will bring 24-hour service to all CUC clients.