No more free water for non-indigents on Saipan

  Non-indigent individuals and families on Saipan will soon stop receiving free water deliveries to their households following a decision by Saipan Mayor Donald Flores to stop the service beginning Oct. 1, the start of the new fiscal year.

Henry Hofschneider, the mayor’s special adviser, disclosed this to Saipan Tribune yesterday, saying that regulations are being finalized for implementation within the year.

The municipality has for many years been providing free water delivery to individuals and families on Saipan who ask for water assistance. Both indigent and non-indigent households are given this assistance as long as they submit a request-application.

Hofschneider said the law that created the municipality authorized the mayor to provide help to those in need of water. The same statute, however, also authorizes the mayor to promulgate regulations imposing fees and charges for this type of service. He said this is the first time that regulations will be formulated to this effect.

Under the new rules being drawn up, non-indigent households that want to avail of water delivery from the mayor’s office will be assessed a fee.

Hofschneider refused to disclose the amount that will be charged, pending final approval of regulations. He assured that it will be reasonable but will be a bit higher than what the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. charges its water consumers. The municipality will use the fees for the fuel cost and maintenance of the delivery equipment.

According to Hofschneider, once the regulations take effect, free water assistance will only be available to low-income Saipan residents. They will go through the same application process at the mayor’s office.

Hofschneider disclosed that the office delivers about 10,000 gallons of free water a week. To cite an example, just two weeks ago, the municipality received six applications for free water assistance.

He said they’re seeing a slight decrease in the number of water assistance requests lately but he is convinced that the regulation is a “sound policy decision” that would assist both the municipality and the utilities corporation in this time of financial hardship.

Saipan Tribune learned that the municipality gets free water from CUC to help those in need in the community. However, the municipality spends fuel, maintenance of the delivery truck, personnel, and other related expenditures for this free service. Most of the requesters, he added, are individuals who are not connected to CUC or those whose accounts have been terminated due to unsettled bills.

Hofschneider said that the proposed regulation is supported by CUC, which believes that the initiative will encourage customers to hook up with the CUC grid as it will be cheaper to get water if directly connected to CUC pumps. Hofschneider said this approach also helps protect the utilities corporation.

By Moneth Deposa
Reporter