Lawmaker worried about CNMI water situation

Manglona

Sen. Paul A. Manglona (Ind-Rota) said problems with water in the CNMI would become even greater as the community expands.

He said the old water system could no longer support such need for what would eventually turn into a scarce source especially in the business center of Saipan.

“The islands would continue running into long dry season while its water is drawn from shallow water wells that depletes quickly turning into a hardship for families all over,” Manglona said.

He noted that a preliminary study by a certain firm says, “Tidal fluctuations, seawater intrusion, and excessive pumping has resulted in a water supply of decreased quality and increasing salinity due to the capture of brackish water from this fickle and increasingly unreliable groundwater resource.”

“Saipan, the business center, needs about 12 million gallons of water per day its availability more than likely heading into scarcity land as major projects are emplaced”, he pointed out.

“There’s an option to resolve the growing water scarcity issue in what’s known as ‘underground dam’ that requires study and analysis to determine if there’s sufficient water streams to collect that would feed and refill water storage facilities in at least three areas on the island,” he said.

“The option available would require a lot of money and this is where the NMI could appeal for technical and financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Interior for help,” he said. “It’s an issue that requires timely decision from leadership given that the project necessarily goes through time-consuming process.”

“We should be mindful in the sense that the island community constantly expands and the need for water in both residential and private industries increases by leaps and bounds,” he said. “If the issue intensifies because we aren’t sure how to dispose of it then any and all planned development and growth would equally be compromised.”
“The time to step up to the plate is right here and now before we turn victims of our own indecision”, Manglona said.

Reportedly, the island loses 70 percent of its water, however, efforts in recent past to fix and replace water pipes in the villages emplaced after the war. “This is the time to assist the utility agency meet this need in addition to a power system that may have reached its capacity,” Manglona said. (PR)