DESIGNATED Federal Judge David O. Carter has directed Commonwealth Utilities Corporation officials to provide an additional status report on water theft incidences at the next meeting or within the next six months.
Judge Carter recently scheduled a series of hearings for updates and reports on Stipulated Orders 1 and 2.
The judge also requested the in-person attendance of Elizabeth Loeb, lead attorney for the Department of Justice; Janet Magnuson, attorney for the Environmental Protection Agency; and CUC officials, among others, saying that “their in-person expertise and knowledge of Stipulated Orders 1 and 2 are essential to meeting the court’s objectives.”
For his part, CUC Deputy Executive Director Chretein Voerg provided the court an update regarding SO1 tasks and water theft reports.
Judge Carter also discussed non-revenue water loss with Voerg who informed the court that there is no information as to the non-revenue water percentage in 2022.
Voerg and CUC acting chief engineer Larry Manacop answered additional questions from the judge regarding non-revenue water loss in the villages of Saipan.
Manacop and Voerg likewise informed the court about granular activated carbon system performance, water contamination, and wells.
Previously, DOJ attorney Elizabeth Loeb told the court that CUC continued to report that it was not billing customers adequately to cover the costs of service.
“CUC states that non-revenue water is approximately 63%, meaning only 37% of drinking water produced, pumped, and chlorinated by CUC is being billed to customers and generating revenue,” Loeb said. “CUC reported it is losing approximately 200 million gallons per month of produced water. The costs associated with the lost water is passed on to paying customers. The reasons for this loss include leaks, water theft, and failed water meters. CUC failed to improve upon reducing non-revenue water volumes,” Loeb added
She said EPA is also concerned that CUC is not maintaining 24-hour drinking water service.
For his part, CUC technical manager for oil Jubal Slayer, conducted a power point presentation before the court regarding SO2 successes and highlights.
Slayer reported to the court that oil water separators are functioning properly.
In Nov. 2008, after the U.S. 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 focuses on oil issues.
David O. Carter
