The Water Taskforce is now permitted to dig up to 60 new wells on Saipan in its efforts to deliver a 24-hour water supply on the island by Dec. 2005.<\/p>\n
Taskforce staff Felix Sablan said the Division of Environmental Quality issued several permits last week for exploratory drilling in several areas on the island.<\/p>\n
In particular, he said these sites which were identified by the U.S. Geological Survey, are located in As Matuis and Obyan areas.<\/p>\n
He said that the taskforce is finalizing the selection of bidders on private drilling<\/p>\n
He said it is estimated that the exploratory drilling activities would be completed by February 2005.<\/p>\n
\u201cDepending on the availability of the funds, we can certainly proceed beyond the first 50 wells and continue for the rest of next year,\u201d said Sablan.<\/p>\n
This as he noted that a new drilling rig, which is being manufactured in Pittsburg, would be shipped to Saipan by the middle of next month.<\/p>\n
Taskforce chairman Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente signed Tuesday the contract purchase for the drilling rig amounting to $836,000.<\/p>\n
He also signed a $400,000 contract for the purchase of 4,000 special meters for installation beginning this year.<\/p>\n
Sablan said the bid for the installation of the meters would soon be closed.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs soon as the meters are here, we can immediately go ahead with the installation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Special meters will be installed in problem areas such as Garapan, Chalan Kanoa, and Susupe while conventional water meters will continue to be installed in other areas.<\/p>\n
The taskforce said meters must be installed to ensure that consumers pay for water that they actually use.<\/p>\n
Currently, most consumers pay a flat rate of $11 a month primarily because of the lack of a 24-hour water supply.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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