CUC’s water loss at 64% in Oct.; many leaks found after quakes

In October this year, the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. produced a total of 252,374,400 gallons of water, yet the total amount billed was only 90,009,539 gallons. That equates to a non-revenue water loss of 64% on Saipan. That means more than half of the water CUC is producing is lost and is not earning money for the agency.

This was learned from Kevin O. Watson, CUC Water & Wastewater Division deputy executive director, who also disclosed in his monthly report during the CCC board meeting on Thursday that there were many water leaks in October compared to the previous month; they suspect it’s because of earthquakes.

Watson also disclosed they posted 66 work orders to repair leaks, four mainline leaks, and four-meter leaks in October. This, he said, equates to a total loss through these leaks of 1,898,984 gallons in October, compared to only 213,319 gallons in September.

Watson said all of these leaks were responded to and repaired in an expedited manner. “We respond to 100% and we don’t delay. We do it immediately,” Watson said.

He said there were several instances when multiple breaks occurred in a single day.

In one case, he said, they had one large 8-inch leak near a school. As soon as that was repaired, he got a phone call 30 minutes later, telling him they had another major line leak.

Watson said those leaks coincided with the occurrence of earthquakes in the Northern Mariana Islands.

“We suspect the ground movement had something to do with it,” he said, adding that they’re tracking that even closely now and it helps them explain why the non-revenue water loss is higher in one month than another.

CUC also tracks water lines damaged by contractors. In October, Watson said, they had 20 cases of water lines damaged by contractors compared to only seven in September.

He said the total loss through contractor damaged pipes was 41,327 gallons. In the previous month it was 14,339 gallons.

In response to board chair Janice A. Tenorio’s question, Watson said they usually don’t issue an advisory telling customers about the damaged pipe because contractors usually repair the damage within an hour or less.

CUC does put out a public advisory if the repair will take longer, he said.

He said contractors immediately repair any damage because any delay would also affect their work.

Watson said they posted three new water meter installations in October; in the previous month they had 10.

He said the water meter relocation work orders completed was one, and they had two new water meter relocation work orders created that will be done in November.

Watson said the new water meter change outs work orders are for existing meters where the meter had failed and the billing office sends their division a work order or notice that these need to be changed.

He said there were 111 of those changed out in October and there were 41 new work orders created that will also be put on their list.

On Tinian, Watson said the Bureau of Environmental & Coastal Quality well permit was approved.

As for the wastewater division, Watson said the total sewage usage was at 36,250,725 gallons.

Right now, he said, the Agingan Wastewater Treatment Plant and Sadog Tasi Wastewater Treatment Plant operate with only one aerator basin for collecting and treating the wastewater. Watson said the Pacific Engineering Projects contractor is working on rebuilding the clarifier at the Sadog Tasi Treatment Plant. Watson said they are moving forward with being able to introduce that newly rebuilt clarifier in operation this week.

He said there is a pending rehabilitation project with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Additional Supplemental Appropriation for Disaster Relief Act funds for the electrical and lighting repairs and plant upgrades.