In the last four years, of the $34 million federal assistance provided through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, $21 million was allotted for water and wastewater infrastructure improvement, he added.
Fletcher said CUC is heavily investing on infrastructure neglected for many years.
“CUC infrastructure hasn’t been replaced overtime although we have a long lifetime that would last in many years depending on the corrosion rate, but you have to put money aside every year to know where you going to go in and replace pipeline year to year but we didn’t do that,” he said.
“We need the Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission to recognize that we need to have a financial reserve for renewal and replacement of infrastructure,” he added,
Fletcher said CUC is now working on another rate petition for water and wastewater.
“This is not just about rates. CUC is not happy to look at rate increases. We understand the burden it places on the public but at the same time we have to deliver services and we can’t deliver them without the funding base,” he added.
He said the island’s poor economy is making tough for people to afford a rate increase “but if you want service you got to pay the bill.”
