CUC to temporarily repair leaking sewer line in Susupe

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. is going to start this week a temporary repair on a leaking sewer line near Susupe Mart in Susupe.

CUC Drinking Water and Wastewater Division deputy executive director Kevin Matson in an interview Friday said the temporary repair will give them more time to design and construct a permanent fix.

Watson said the permanent fix is replacing the manhole and that section of sewer line, which should occur in about six months because it will take a while to do the design work.

He also clarified that what’s overflowing from the sewer line that causes a stenchy smell, is not human waste, but rainwater.

Last Aug. 23, speaking at a House of Representatives Public Utilities, Transportation, and Communications Committee meeting, Rep. Manny Gregory T. Castro (Ind-Saipan) has underscored the need for the committee to either subpoena CUC officials or have them explain what they plan to do with the leaking sewer line in Susupe.

Castro said residents in the area can’t even cut the grass beside the road because the sewer line is just toxic. He said people’s wastes are seen floating over the residents’ driveway and then it’s going into the storm drain across the Susupe Mart.

Castro said the area turns into basically a centralized septic tank instead of a centralized sewer system.

Watson said they are going to make a temporary repair pipe with a 2-inch bypass using a 3-inch grinder pump and operate on a float switch in the manhole.

“So once the level comes up, the pump will pump it down and automatically, it will go bypass the collapsed line to the downstream manhole,” Watson said.

He said their staff, along with the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality’s, inspected the area after Saipan Tribune printed a news story about the leaking sewer line.

Watson said before that, they come there and pump the sewer line out five to 10 times per day.

“They pump it out in the morning, and they get it to downstream manhole discharge. And they do that on a routine basis, not just there but in another area where we have a collapsed line as well,” he said.

Watson said what’s overflowing is not human waste but from heavy rain.

CUC Drinking Water and Wastewater Division acting chief engineer Larry Manacop said when there is heavy rain the manhole overflows.

Manacop said part of the sewer waste from those pipes will eventually mix with the rainwater.

He said it’s very hard for human waste to float.

Manacop said a lot of these pipes are asbestos concrete pipes probably installed about 50 years ago.

The acting chief engineer said the initial estimate for the permanent fix is between $250,000 and $300,000.

Agreeing with Manacop’s explanation, Watson said human waste is heavier so it’s going to drop to the bottom of the manhole, and when the rainwater comes in, it is wider and is going to be at the top.

“That’s what may come out of a manhole when the storm surge is coming through. That’s rainwater,” Watson pointed out.

He said that the stenchy smell is corrosive to the pipe, so a 50-year term degrades that pipe and that’s what causes the collapse.

The deputy executive director said the temporary fix will not cost that much and CUC crew are going to do it this Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

CUC acting executive director Betty G. Terlaje said they’re working on a temporary solution now that should help with the stench.

Terlaje said the permanent solution will probably be within six months as it takes time to work with contractors.

She said they invited Reps. Castro and John Paul P. Sablan (Ind-Saipan), both representing Precinct 2, last Wednesday for a meeting to let them know their plans with the leaking sewer line.

Terlaje said they would also visit homes in the area and give them some information about CUC’s plan.

She said they will pass out a little informational brochure that tells the household what’s going on and CUC’s plan.