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CUC water lab re-certified
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Posted on Nov 05 2004
The Division of Environmental Quality has reinstated the certification of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. water laboratory, allowing the utility firm to again analyze the quality of drinking water samples.
DEQ director John I. Castro announced yesterday that the re-certification was issued last Thursday, over a year since CUC’s water laboratory permit was revoked amid various violations.
Castro said the utility corporation has since met all the requirements, prompting DEQ to re-certify the laboratory.
CUC chair Frank Guerrero said the utility firm would terminate its contract with Tanapag-based Quality Waters Inc., which has analyzed all CUC drinking water samples since the revocation.
“That contract was valid only until we get re-certified. It’s going to be terminated,” Guerrero said, adding that he will provide further comments later.
DEQ revoked CUC’s water laboratory permit on Sept. 19, 2003 due to falsified bacteria data report, invalid sampling, false reporting, and lack of qualified personnel to oversee the laboratory.
On numerous occasions, water samples were not tested for bacteria but CUC reported them to DEQ as negative, according to the environmental agency.
CUC had also committed violations by reading out samples before the actual 18 to 24 hours required incubation period was up. In some instance, CUC failed to keep a record of incubation time or read out time.
Further, CUC had reported certain samples as negative when they were actually positive for either total coliform or E.Coli. Based on the DEQ manual, all positive total coliform samples should be reported to the DEQ Safe Drinking Water branch.
In addition, DEQ noted that CUC lacked qualified staff to handle the water sampling, after it placed laboratory manager Pete Babauta and assistant manager Mariano Iglesias on indefinite administrative leave on Sept. 1, 2003.
Babauta, who is the husband of CUC executive director Lorraine Babauta, subsequently retired from government service. He is currently facing charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and false documents in the U.S. District Court.
