“This is our commitment to be accountable in the use of available federal funds for our important infrastructure projects,” he said.
Inos along with CUC and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials as well as the project contractor attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $2.476 million rehabilitation of the Sadog Tasi wastewater treatment plant, the $1.829 million Saipan well isolation project, and the $482,767.49 phase IIA installation of a waterline.
“The completion of these projects further affirms CUC’s continuing effort to seek ways to provide the highest standard of service to our community,” Inos said in his brief remarks.
He added that the projects also serve as indication of “the government’s commitment to ensure that public funds are spent prudently and with the interest of the public at heart.”
CUC Executive Director Abe Utu Malae said the rehabilitation of the Sadog Tasi wastewater treatment plant will serve almost 20,000 residents from Chalan Laulau to the Marianas Resort.
The rehabilitation of wastewater treatment project was funded by EPA and the U.S. Office of Insular Affairs.
The well isolation project, for its part, removed 25 wells from “direct feed” in the Kagman, Obyan, San Vicente, As Lito and Koblerville areas, Malae said.
“The project eliminated one major booster pump station, resulting in significant savings in energy efficiency as well as system reliability,” he said, adding that more customers are now relying on distribution by gravity, rather than distribution by electricity.
He said the project could save CUC about $77,000 in electricity cost per year.
Funding for the project came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through EPA.
The third project, the installation of a waterline, was completed “on-budget and with no delay to an ongoing Department of Public Works road project, Malae said.
Th project involves the installation of 3,900 linear feet of 6” water main in the path of the Cross Island Road project, which connects hundreds of customers to the Capital Hill water storage tanks, he added.
Malae said the project provides “greatly” improved water service hours on Capitol Hill where customers previously received water only two days a week.
He said CUC utilized additional funding that became available from EPA to connect more customers to water tanks and eliminate “direct feed” wells from the system.
The contractors for the three projects is GPPC Inc.
Diego Blanco, who represented GPPC, thanked the funding agencies.
With the completion of those projects, he said many residents will have a much easier, safer and healthy lives.
CUC water and wastewater engineering made the design and oversaw the management of the rehabilitation of wastewater treatment plant as well as the installation of the waterline.
The Saipan well isolation project’s design and construction management was done by J.C. Tenorio Engineers & Associates.
Hofschneider Engineering was responsible for the construction management for phase I of the installation of the waterline while SSFM Inc. handled phase IIA.
