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DPH not testing drinking water for bacteria—DEQ
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Posted on Apr 29 2009
The Department of Public Health, the sole provider of comprehensive health services in the CNMI, failed to monitor its water system for total coliform bacteria in February and March, Saipan Tribune learned yesterday.
David Rosario, acting director of the Division of Environmental Quality, issued a notice of violation of the CNMI Drinking Water Regulations to Health Secretary Joseph Kevin P. Villagomez on April 23.
Villagomez could not be reached for comment at press time yesterday.
All public water systems are required to perform monitoring for total coliform bacteria every month, and the results must be submitted to the Division of Environmental Quality by the 10th day of the following month.
Rosario said DEQ records indicate that DPH’s water system failed to properly monitor for total coliform. The number of routine samples required every month is two but DPH did not provide any for February and March.
In his two-page notice of violation, Rosario required DPH to provide public notice within the year and collect the required routine samples monthly.
Rosario said any person who violates or refuses or neglects to comply with any provision of the CNMI Drinking Water Regulations, or any certification, standard, notification or order issued by the DEQ director, the division or the attorney general, may be subject to penalties of $25,000 per day per violation.
DEQ also earlier cited DPH/Commonwealth Health Center for failing to monitor its drinking water for disinfection byproducts in 2008.
