No solutions in sight

The Commonwealth’s Utilities Corp. acknowledged yesterday that it is faced with two gigantic emergency situations—a water crisis and a power supply dilemma—but it is short of solutions.

“Don’t just tell us about the problems here. We already know the problems but where are the solutions? Where is your recommendation? We want to see solutions. Put them on the table because you guys know better,” CUC board chair Herman P. Sablan told the management, represented by deputy executive director Bernard Villagomez, in yesterday’s board meeting.

CUC executive director Lorraine was absent. She is reportedly in Japan on an official trip, working in relation with the administration’s housing project.

Also absent in yesterday’s meeting was CUC water manager Jess Castro, who is reportedly on leave.

“They are nowhere to be found when they are most needed,” observed a government personnel.

Acting on behalf of Castro was Glen Dikita, who answered most of the board’s inquiries about the water situation.

Meantime, board members Allen Perez and Joe Torres emphasized the need “to put the issues and recommendations on the table.”

During the meeting, Villagomez and other managers said there is not enough water in CUC’s reservoirs. They said that most water wells could not generate enough water to supply the whole island.

Dikita cited, for instance, that water level in reservoirs supplying Garapan is now down to about six ft. from 31 ft. In the Tanapag area, he said, the water level is down to five ft. from the normal 11 ft.

As an urgent move, he said his team had already diverted water from Northern Mariana College to supply Garapan. In the process, he said Oleai and San Jose consumers suffered from the lack of water.

Member Palacios then asked as to the truth of the CNMI Water Task Force’s earlier claim that there is enough water on Saipan but most is lost due to leaks. “I thought there is enough water according to the water task force. Where is it?” asked Palacios.

The task force was represented in the meeting by CUC official Patrick Deleon Guerrero.

Palacios also inquired whether CUC could share the funds received by the task force to address urgent cases. “We’ve heard the task force say there’s money for this, money that. Can it be shared?” she asked.

Deleon Guerrero, for his part, said any funding received by the task force can be used for very specific projects and cannot be shared with CUC for day-to-day operations.

He cited that funding is reserved for well optimization, water conservation, research, and meter installation.

“In the end, the task force is going to help CUC clean up what’s out there,” he said.

Meantime, Dikita said that CUC wells can hardly produce water.

He could not cite a specific daily production right now, but said that during dry season, CUC wells can only generate 8.5 million gallons of water daily. Normally, CUC can produce up to 11 million gallons a day in the rainy season.

For his part, Torres said the problem is evidently worsened by poorly maintained systems. “I just learned that our pump is not pumping water because it is filled with sand. What are we doing for maintenance? I tell you, even if build 100 wells, if we don’t maintain them, there’s not going to be enough water.”

Villagomez said the management has been monitoring all aspects but lamented that “we just have old wells.” He said most of the existing wells are 25 years old.

Perez said managers need “to put issues on the table and present options so that we can move ahead.”

Sablan agreed, saying it would be up to the board to find ways to make the solutions work. He said the board could lobby the Legislature and the Governor’s Office for emergency funding.

“We’re dealing now with emergencies and we can’t afford to just talk about these. People out there are freaking out, demanding that we do something,” he said.