Rota mayor: DPW ‘working hard’ to improve landfill

The Department of Public Works is “working hard” to improve the Rota dumpsite, according to Rota Mayor Efraim Atalig. 

“A daily cover over the dumpsite has been maintained to minimize the pile of trash, control odors, vectors, and fires,” he told Saipan Tribune in an email.

Atalig said the department has dispersed trash in what was once an overflowing dumpsite as well as covered it with mixed soil materials in order to comply with an administrative order issued by the Division of Environmental Quality.

The Rota dumpsite receives a facelift after dozens of residents expressed health concerns over its condition in the past decade. (Contributed Photo)

The improvements come after this reporter published photos and a story featuring the lack of maintenance of the southern island’s only dumpsite by previous municipal administrations. When Atalig was questioned about the issue in the infancy of his mayoral term last December, he vowed to address the situation appropriately. 

Atalig said two DPW employees have already been assigned to maintain the dumpsite periodically throughout the week. Two other employees are currently undergoing training from experienced equipment operators to become adept in equipment mobilization and how to properly maintain the dumpsite.

Three other individuals who were hired under provisional appointments will also take part in the daily maintenance of the dumpsite. 

Several other positions have been created in order to properly maintain the dumpsite. According to Atalig, DPW is opening five equipment operator positions and is hiring one equipment operator supervisor. 

“These positions will be under one year limited term appointment and the subject for continuation upon completion of the one-year appointment term,” he said.  “In the immediate future, DPW will expedite the training of these employees to Saipan Solid Waste Management area in Marpi or to SWANA’s Company in Dallas, Texas, to improve their skills and knowledge over landfill maintenance operations.”

Atalig noted the successful collaboration of his office, Department of Public Works, and the Capital Improvement Projects Office on Saipan in addressing one of the residents’ long-time grievances. 

Atalig said the Office of the Capital Improvement Project, under Virginia Villagomez and project engineer Elizabeth Balajadia, have completed the new design for the enhancement of the landfill. The office is working to expedite the opening for the bidding process of the construction and improvement of the facility, designed by H.K Pangelinan Engineering and Associates. 

A 218 excavator, 930 front-end-loader, and D6 dozer from Hawthorne Pacific was purchased for the improvement of the landfill. The mayor’s office is also expecting a five-ton dump truck from JC Tenorio Enterprises for the project. 

“Such equipment availability will eventually improve the public dump operation within the island of Rota. The plans are formidably in place and eventually will succeed in our quest of turning the public dump into a sanitary landfill operation,” Atalig said.

Continued funding for the maintenance effort will most likely come from Capital Improvement Project funds and the Solid Waste Management’s revolving fund account for Rota. He said those offices are working to identify an exact dollar figure for the expenses. 

Atalig said that he will continue to push for the strict regulation of the dumpsite in order to make it “environmentally sound and sanitary”. He added,”…we will protect trash haulers and of course the general public from contaminated exposures and other waste disposals. It is about time that Rota step to the next level.”