THE Commonwealth Utilities Corp. has completed 62 of 68 Stipulated Order 1 requirements, according to an official statement it issued Sunday.
CUC also noted that designated Federal Judge David O. Carter of the District Court for the NMI approved the final joint stipulated order for the partial termination and non-material modification of Stipulated Order 2 and other orders as proposed by the U.S. Department of Justice, the CNMI and CUC.
“The joint stipulation terminated portion of the SO2 for work completed such as the oil pollution general work to include the construction of the CUC pipeline, Tank 102, major repairs to Tank 103, installation of new incinerators and oil-water separators at Power Plant 1, 2 and 4; and improvements to the oil recovery system and generator units for the Rota Power Plant,” CUC stated.
According to CUC, with the partial termination of SO2, the main focus are SO1 requirements for water and wastewater projects.
CUC said although it has successfully completed many of the SO1 requirements, the remaining six items require more extensive planning and implementation.
CUC said it has been working closely with the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Department of the Interior-Office of Insular Affairs, and the Rural Community Assistance Corporation for the implementation of a number of programs such as the hydraulic study, the Non-Revenue Water Reduction Program, the Groundwater Management Program, the Fats, Oils and Grease Management Program, and the Cross Connection and Control Program, and training program to complete and improve SO1 items.
CUC said due to the multi-faceted components of each program, it will take the utilities corporation at least five years to see desirable results.
DOJ has said that CUC remains deficient in other areas.
In response, CUC stated that it has addressed the management structure requirements through the recruitment of a new deputy executive director and technical manager for oil.
The remaining three stipulated-order-required positions are still in the recruitment phase with one of these positions pending an agreement to the offer, CUC said.
CUC has also reported that Saipan has sustained 24-hour drinking water services since September 2021 with the exceptions of scheduled or emergency temporary water service interruptions due to a leak repair or capital improvement projects to connect the new infrastructure to the existing water system.
CUC said it has discussed the remaining SO1 items with the EPA and DOJ to complete a comprehensive plan that will address the Non-Revenue Water Reduction Program.
This will include leak detection and repairs, identification of old waterlines, upgrading CUC’s water and wastewater systems to install new supervisory control and data acquisition controls and automatic meter reading devices on customers’ meters and district meters to track water flow.
“All parties have agreed to work in a unified effort to complete the pending requirements to ensure the public continues to receive reliable, environmentally sensitive and effective power, water and wastewater services,” CUC stated.
EPA and DOJ officials were on Saipan last week and toured ongoing and completed projects at CUC facilities.
In Nov. 2008, after the Environmental Protection Agency cited CUC for violating the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, the federal court issued Stipulated Orders 1 and 2.
SO1 focuses on drinking water issues while SO2 pertains to oil issues and requires CUC to repair and replace oil storage and operation infrastructure, manage tank and pipeline facilities, and require spill and emergency response equipment and protocols.
On Feb. 11, 2022, Judge Carter held a status conference with CUC Executive Director Gary Camacho, and Attorney General Edward Manibusan in attendance.
Camacho expressed his appreciation to all CUC staffers, and the court-appointed Engineering and Environmental Management Company, Gilbane Federal, for their hard work in resolving and addressing some of the stipulated orders.
David O. Carter
