CUC needs to address this issue this year, its Executive Director Antonio Muna yesterday said.
CUC water and wastewater division deputy director Bruce Megarr told lawmakers on Friday that the agency needs $2 million to comply with the stipulated orders this year.
Muna said the funding sources of CUC are the rates it collects from its customers, local appropriation and federal assistance.
“We do our best to give our customer’s relief,” he added.
Asked where CUC can get the $2 million, Muna said they still have “to determine that through rate process and essentially to what extent local or federal government can assist us in addressing this shortfall.”
Megarr said CUC’s water and wastewater division posted a $3.6 million deficit last year.
He also told lawmakers that CUC will be fined and penalized, face contempt charges and be subjected to receivership if it fails to comply with the stipulated orders.
Muna said CUC wants to comply with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
“The focus of CUC is to be in compliance and to ensure public health and so we need to focus on a budget that will ensure compliance,” he added.
Muna said CUC might ask the Environmental Protection Agency for some relief from the requirements of the stipulated orders.
Prior to the filing of the stipulated orders in federal court, CUC was repeatedly cited for its failure to comply with federal water and wastewater standards.
