U.S. Public Health Officers Commander Kenneth Esplin and the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. water and wastewater associate engineer, told the Variety the CNMI will get the funding should President Obama’s $1.5 billion budget request for water-related projects is passed with an 82 percent increase from the previous year.
Reports from the American Water Works Association show there is $2.688 million enacted allotment in FY2009 for DWSRF, which is 0.33 percent of the total funds available to states including US territories.
For FY2010, all US territories, including the CNMI, will receive $22 million.
Esplin said. “We’re going to get a big piece of that pie.”
In the Federal Register May 28 publication, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the formula for distribution of DWSRF allotments to states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Territories, American Indian tribes and Alaskan Native villages is based on the 2007 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment.
This formula, the EPA added, will be used for the four years from FY 2010 to FY 2013.
The EPA said “the 2007 Needs Survey includes both projects that are currently needed and future projects needed over the next 20 years. Capital needs included treatment, storage, source distribution and transmission and other projects that are ineligible for DWSRF assistance such as dams, reservoirs and projects solely to meet growth – were excluded from the survey.”
CUC water and wastewater acting deputy director Capt. Robert Lorenz said the EPA has been getting funds for state distributions every year from DWSRF.
This year’s funding, Lorenz said will eventually address the water system improvement in Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
“We are looking forward to accelerate the water infrastructure improvement needed in the island,” he said.
Although, Lorenz didn’t categorically stated the CNMI’s share from DWSRF would suffice to meet the needed projects in commonwealth he stressed that “this is a starting point for the improvement in the three islands.”
For the next 20 years, CUC needs $160 million to improve water and wastewater systems in the commonwealth.
Lorenz said the improvement is demanded in the U.S. District Court Stipulated Order number 1 negotiated by CUC and the EPA to bring the CUC water and wastewater system into compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
The comprehensive drinking water and wastewater master plan will determine current and future infrastructure needed for a 20 year period, he said, adding that this will also provide a long-term plan for CUC drinking water and wastewater systems improvements in Saipan, Rota and Tinian.
Lorenz said the master plan includes the condition, capacity, and operational assessments required to be carried out as stated in the stipulated order.
