CUC unveils new filtration system

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. unveiled yesterday the Isley Field and Obyan Wells Granular Activated Carbon Water Filtration System through a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The ceremony was attended by dignitaries like Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, members of the Legislature, various government agency representatives, workers who had a hand in the construction of the filtrations system, and members of the community.

Speaking on the importance of the system, CUC executive director Kevin Watson said these systems are designed to reduce contamination levels and eventually eliminate the public health risk of PFAS and PFOA by filtering out the contaminants.

According to an online definition, PFAS chemicals include PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid). PFAS do not break down easily and stay in the environment for a very long time, especially in water.

“Several years ago, airport firefighters used firefighting foam that was used as a training base here for other Pacific Islands. It was very useful, and it put out many fires fast. However, in 2015, during our sampling process it was found to contain harmful chemicals; specifically, PFAS and PFOA chemicals which are actually cancer causing. Now, since then, [the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] has put limits on that. Even before that, the CNMI [Bureau of Environmental Coastal Quality] put limits on that to protect citizens of the CNMI. For that to happen, activated carbon through a filtration system was needed. The waters pump from the Isley and Obyan wells that contain the chemicals through the activated carbon and the chemicals adhere to the carbon to remove the PFAS and PFOA,” he said.

Watson said the project grant amount is valued at $2,158,020 and could not have been possible without the help of multiple government and local agencies and partners.

“It was quite the investment, but we couldn’t have done this without help from the U.S, Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration who awarded the CNMI an over $1.7 million grant, and the U.S. Department of Interior who granted us an additional grant of $431,604. The construction contractor is Paragon Corp. (previously known as Core Plus), the construction of this was $541,927, while the purchase of the equipment and the median use in these systems was $1,167,120,” he said.

Palacios, in his remarks said the unveiling of the filtration systems is a milestone for the CNMI community, especially communities near the Isley field and Obyan area.

“I love ribbon cuttings to basically celebrate the unveiling of an infrastructure that is needed in our community. Around 2015, we discovered PFAS in our water around the Isley Wells. These wells provide over half our community with the life-giving element, water. Water is the most basic necessity in our existence. It is a milestone to be here and witness this finished project,” he said.

Palacios said as the CNMI continues as a community and as a government to look for ways for cleaner and safer water, there are many people to be thankful for.

“One of them of course is CUC. We have so many agencies and people to thank. We thank EPA, and BECQ, we thank EDA, Interior for the funding, our own congressman for pushing for funding as this project was funded through multiple funding sources. Also, our contractors who executed the contract in a timely matter. We are proud of these agencies and we are very thankful to all of them. This infrastructure may not look like much, but it will provide us clean, safe waters for our community. This isn’t a ribbon cutting of just any particular infrastructure, this is a very critical infrastructure. We may not see it as much, but I want to congratulate and commend all those who worked very hard to get this thing done,” he said.