THE construction of desalination plants as proposed by House Bill 13-109 may address the island’s water problem, but it can also lead to other problems, according to Northern Marianas College’s Small Business Development Center.
In a letter to the House Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications, SBDC Director Eric L. Plinske said that although the bill’s intention is a “progressive step toward improving the residential and commercial water needs on Saipan,” a potential problem could be encountered with the high cost of electricity required to power the desalination facilities.
Introduced by House Floor Leader Jesus T. Attao, R-Saipan, H.B. 13-109 proposes the construction, installation, maintenance and management of desalination facilities that would be financed through tax-exempt bonds.
Plinske said based on his research, the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa has been using desalination systems since 1964.
Desalination, he learned, provides more than 80 percent of the water needs for Canary’s principal island of Lanzarote.
He said the main challenge that Canary faced in relation to the “cost effective production” of desalinated water was the high cost of electricity. “This results in high and possible fluctuating water costs to the consumers,” he said.
To reduce the costs, Pliske said the Canary Islands government successfully experimented with desalination using renewable energy sources such as wind and ocean resources.
Before proceeding with the bill and issuing invitations to bid, Plinske advised the House committee and the CNMI government to communicate with the Canary Islands government as this could “greatly benefit” the commonwealth by having knowledge on the “effective design for a desalination facility in an island environment….”
