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Better designs eyed for storm water drainage
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Posted on May 20 2006
CNMI and Guam environmental agencies are now collaborating on a manual for storm water drainage design in order to provide the best solution to reducing storm water runoff in the Pacific, especially the two island territories.
In a news briefing held recently with Environmental Protection Agency representatives, Division of Environmental Quality director Frank Rabauliman said the manual would be released soon.
EPA Pacific Islands Office manager John McCarroll said the manual is closely related to a workshop that was recently held with the leadership of the DEQ early this month. The workshop aimed to come up with a better design to minimize and reduce storm water runoff in the CNMI. He said engineers and architects from Guam and the CNMI attended the workshop.
“We hope to release the manual soon,” said McCarroll, adding that he is hoping that the new manual would have better designs to boost property values and provide other benefits in the Pacific.
Both the workshop and the manual aim to eventually help improve water quality in the CNMI and Guam and protect its coral reefs.
EPA and local offices from both territories are working on making this partnership a success, said McCarroll. He said the improvement in both territories could make them the best examples for other Pacific islands territories.
The workshop resulted to the creation of the initial draft of the manual that is still up for revision. McCarroll said the workshop had a “very innovative approach” in dealing with the subject matter.
Officers from government agencies such as Department of Public Works and other private companies attended the workshop.
