By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

THANKS to funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Saipan will get a million more gallons of water early next year when the new water reservoir in Kannat Tabla is completed.
U.S. EPA Program Manager Patricia Young and Barry F. Pollock, a professional engineer with EPA’s Water Division, joined Commonwealth Utilities Corp. Executive Director Anthony Guerrero, Rep. Manuel A. Tenorio, R-Saipan, Rep. Francisco S. Dela Cruz, Covenant-Saipan, and other public officials, in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Kannat Tabla 1 MG Tank and Waterline Project yesterday afternoon.
The $2.98 million project is expected to be completed by March 2008.
“This is a million gallon tank. We do give allocations to all the states for this type of drinking water infrastructure project. CUC decided that this is how they wanted to spend their money,” said Young in an interview.
CUC originally got a grant of $1.5 million for the design and construction of a water reservoir in the area which could hold up to 100,000 gallons of water.
However, the agency doubled the grant amount after CUC notified it that the existing water tank located at Northern Marianas College had to be shut down due to structural damage.
With increased funding, the original design for the 100,000 gallon reservoir was modified to hold up to a million gallons daily.
In addition, the contractor, AIC Marianas, Inc., will install about 13,000 liner feet of new pipeline; 51 meters for 51 lot connections; and a new booster pump at Isley Field where 19 wells will pump water into the new tank.
A backup treatment facility will also be built, according to CUC.
CUC spokeswoman Pamela Mathis said pending the construction of the Kannat Tabla reservoir, 80,000 gallons of water is currently being stored in temporary tanks at the NMC location, paid for by the CNMI Water Task Force.
“The temporary tanks went ‘on line’ in February, when CUC stopped using the existing 1 MG reservoir due to the structural damage. The new tank will be constructed of bolted steel, but is rated stronger than any other tank on Saipan to withstand winds of up to 175 miles per hour,” she said.
Dela Cruz, chairman of the House Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communication, said the reservoir would not only directly benefit residents in Kannat Tabla but neighboring villages as well.
“This is a blessing. I want to personally acknowledge and thank the EPA for this $3 million project. This million-gallon reservoir will not only serve those in immediate area but also those as far away as Garapan,” he said.
“I think this is an enormous project and I’m glad that this came at a time when many are having a hard time getting water,” he added.
Guerrero said once the Kannat Tabla water reservoir is completed, it will be part of CUC’s overall distribution system, and will boost the water supply in other areas on Saipan.
“This will improve water delivery in the Kannat tabla area. Also in Finasisu and down towards San Jose and the Susupe area. Eventually, it will become part of the system,” he said.
Saipan, home to more than 60,000 people, continues to experience water shortages. It is estimated that it needs about 3 million more gallons of water every day for such a population.