THE paving of the W-6 sewer lift station elimination project site in Chalan Kiya may be completed by the end of March, Commonwealth Utilities Corp. project manager Nicolette Villagomez said.
A civil engineer, Villagomez said the Coastal Resources Management permit for the project expired on Feb. 28, but CUC has applied for an extension, which should be issued soon, she added.
“We gave CRM justification regarding the delay,” she said. “CUC was in active negotiation with the contractor, RNV Construction, for asphalt restoration, but that has been totally settled.”
She said once CRM issues the extension, RNV Construction will pave the project site.
The sewer project, she added, has been substantially completed, “and the remaining item is the asphalt restoration — that’s it.”
The project “is competing with other big roadway projects, like the Talofofo to Kalabera Cave, so we are hoping the asphalt restoration will be completed before the end of this month,” she added.
She said the Chalan Kiya sewer project, which was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will significantly benefit the public in terms of sewer conveyance.
Villagomez thanked community members for their patience, and asked that they continue to heed the traffic controls at the Chalan Kiya project site.
“We are emphasizing safety for motorists, vehicular traffic, and pedestrians. This is a two-year construction project, but it is also a very complicated sewer considering the site conditions. It’s a very complicated project because of the depth of installation and the loose subsurface conditions. It’s a minor inconvenience for a long-term positive effect,” Villagomez said.
For his part, Carlito Marquez, RNV Construction sewer project lead, said the “ground preparation is done, and the laying of asphalt is next, so we are just waiting for the right weather conditions. We also need to coordinate with Hawaiian Rock — they need at least three to four days’ notice.”
According to CUC, the sewer project involves the installation of a total of 1,240 linear feet of 10-inch gravity sewer main, 15 to 20 feet below existing grade, a new sewer manhole, new service laterals, connection to existing laterals, the abandonment of existing sewer manholes on the road, and the elimination of the old W-5 wet well and the W-6 Sewer Lift Station.
The W-6 Sewer Lift Station Elimination project cost $1.26 million.
A resident, in an email to Variety, said the delay in the completion of the project is “unacceptable.”
“Originally it was started 3/26/20 and was to be completed 12/30/20. Then in May 2021 they said by October 2021. Then in January 2022 they said by end of February 2022. Here we are in March and still not complete,” the resident said.
“This is unacceptable and I think someone should be held accountable,” he added.
The W-6 sewer project site in Chalan Kiya needs to be paved with asphalt, the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. said.
