CUC’s wastewater operators praised for extraordinary efforts

Martha Guzman, the regional administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Region 9), along with other senior EPA staff, pose for a souvenir photo with Commonwealth Utilities Corp. and other CNMI officials after a tour of the Sadog Tasi wastewater treatment plant last March 30, 2023. (CUC)

Martha Guzman, the regional administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Region 9), has praised the extraordinary work and efforts of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s wastewater operators.

In a recent tour of the Sadog Tasi treatment plant, Guzman recognized the operators for working wonders to keep the wastewater treatment plant running, considering difficult circumstances. She also commended the new CUC management in place and is happy with the great progress in all areas.

Guzman, along with several senior EPA staff, toured the Sadog Tasi treatment plant last March 30, 2023. They were accompanied by CUC board of director’s chair pro tem Janice A. Tenorio, acting executive director Dr. Dallas M. Peavey, Jr., deputy executive director Chretien Voerg, CUC management officials, Rep. Marissa Flores (in her capacity as a member of the House Public Utilities, Transportation, and Communications Committee), and CUC’s treatment plant operators. Guzman had requested a site visit of the treatment plant to recognize the operators.

The treatment plant’s clarifier had been broken just before Typhoon Mangkhut back in 2018. In order to keep the plant running, operators invented and constructed a type of clarifier out of PVC piping that would help scrape, plow, and pump system to remove sludge. For over four years, operators had to physically drag the scraper across the bottom of the clarifier twice per day, using ropes to move sludge along the bottom to the suction pipes. With the incredible efforts of the operators, the treatment plant has complied for solids and organic pollutants removal.

At the site visit, Voerg elaborated on how CUC is proud of the improvements made in protecting public health and the environment through providing effective water and wastewater services in the CNMI.

“But no project funded, equipment built, or program developed would result in any public health or environmental benefit if it were not for the operators and their support staff who perform the miracle of turning waste into clean water here at Sadog Tasi and at our sister plant at Agingan,” said Voerg. “Without their dedication, effort, and sacrifice, our visions for clean water in the CNMI would not be a reality. And it is our operations staff whom we are here to appreciate today and in particular, I would like to recognize the employees who could not be here today because their skills and knowledge are required in the field to keep our systems operational.”

Guzman became EPA regional administrator for the nations’ Pacific Southwest Region (Region 9) on Dec. 20, 2021. In her role she is leading EPA efforts to protect public health and the environment for the region spanning from Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the U.S. Pacific Islands territories in the areas of climate change, environmental justice and scientific integrity. (PR/Saipan Tribune)