Garapan water quality restoration underway

Plans are underway for the construction of a man-made treatment facility consisting of a three artificial wetland cells, a pump station, and piping for water quality restoration in downtown Garapan.

In a public notice released by the Coastal Resources Management last week, the Garapan Water Quality Restoration project will pre-treat storm water runoff prior to its eventual disposal into the lagoon at the existing Dai-Ichi outfall. The project would begin as soon as possible at the south of the Orchid Street channel and south of the Dai-Ichi outfall in Garapan.

According to the permit application form as filled out by the Department of Public Works Technical Services Division in June, the project site is “much-disturbed area of second growth vegetation consisting of a mosaic of open grassy, tangantangan and larger trees. Much of the vegetation is covered with scarlet gourd vine.”

TSD said 50 percent of existing vegetation except large trees as much as possible would be disturbed during the construction. Excavated materials during construction those are not suitable for reuse would be disposed of at Lower Base site as determined by the DPW.

TSD said environmental impacts of the project would include loss of open space, noise and dust from motorized equipment. Long-term environmental impact, the permit form said, will be beneficial resulting in improved water quality in the adjacent Saipan Lagoon near shore marine waters.

The site is known to contain important historic resources and according to TSD the CNMI Historic Preservation Office is currently reviewing a “Significant Assessment Report” prepared by Swift and Harper Archaeological Resource Consulting group.

The estimated budget of the entire project including material, labor, planning, engineering, and assessment study would be $2.7 million, said the completed permit application form.

The community is invited to a public hearing on Aug. 16, 6:30pm at the CRM conference room located on the ground floor of the Morgen Building in Oleai.

The public is encouraged to provide oral comments regarding this project, said CRM director Jack Salas through a public notice bulletin. Salas said the project file is open for review and comments during business hours from 7:30am to 4:30pm.

Salas also said written comments are also welcome and could be submitted to the CRM office located on the 2nd floor of the Morgen Building or mail to Coastal Resources Management office, Caller Box 10007 or fax the comments to tel. no. 664-8315. Contact CRM at tel. no. 664-8300 and 664-8301 for further questions.