By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

A LAWMAKER says the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. and the CNMI Water Task Force, should improve the water supply throughout the islands before charging customers more.
Rep. Francisco Dela Cruz, Covenant-Saipan, said the commonwealth, particularly Saipan, continues to experience water shortages even as CUC is installing water meters.
Dela Cruz, chairman of the House Committee on Public Utilities, Telecommunications and Communication, asked Pete Sasamoto, program manager of the CNMI Water Task Force, to update his office about the water supply situation.
“I believe that your office should concentrate all efforts on the supply and distribution of water in the CNMI. With this said, I am now requesting your office to provide me and my committee with updates on the water task force in the areas of water well drilling, reservoir projects, as well as the supply and distribution,” Dela Cruz said.
So far, 7,000 “smart” water meters have been installed throughout Saipan, yet the water remains a problem for many, Dela Cruz said.
“The issue that I cannot comprehend is that these 7,000 smart meters are not even being read! At least mine hasn’t been. I have been getting ‘estimates’ on my monthly billing from CUC,” he said.
An additional 5,000 smart meters are to be installed.
Right now, those without water meters pay a flat rate of $11 a month.
The financially troubled CUC wants to increase its water bill collections.
Dela Cruz said reports reaching his office indicate that some federally funded water-related projects are stalled due to concerns over land ownership.
“We heard from CUC and the task force at the time that certain federally funded water projects are stalled because the federal government requires that the land on which these projects are to be constructed need to be owned by CUC,” he said.