American Samoa Power Authority is targeting December 2016 to lift the rest of the boil water notice (BWN) between Ili’ili and Pago Pago, and will continue to provide portable drinking water for schools in these affected areas for the new school year, according to the ASPA water quality report submitted to Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga, who requested an update on the BWN.

Lolo, in a letter late last month to ASPA, sought an update on the current status of American Samoa’s water quality and safety, after Department of Education and School District Coordinators raised concerns with the governor regarding the overall safety and quality of ASPA’s water being consumed by school children.

“Frequent reporting of the water wells being contaminated precipitated serious concerns over the quality and safety of ASPA’s water system due to potential adverse effects to the health of school children and the public at large,” the governor wrote to ASPA executive director Utu Abe Malae.

“It behooves the government to provide prompt assurance to our people that the water being consumed is safe and thus abate the current demand to boil water before consumption,” the governor said. “Similarly, the water consumed by our children must meet water quality standards.”

Utu responded in his July 8 report outlining steps ASPA had taken to lift the BWN for many areas on Tutuila. Utu says ASPA continues to resolve infrastructure challenges to lift the BWN in several areas along the distribution system in Tutuila.

For the far western side of the island, Utu said ASPA has taken offline a contaminated ground water source in Malaeloa, increased production at another well and re-routed flow from other wells in Malaeloa to accommodate the loss in volume from the well that was shut down.

Furthermore, ASPA has installed approved septic systems for homes surrounding the wells, eliminating cesspools that have been sources of contamination. Additionally, online instrumentation continuously monitors the effectiveness of the chlorine injection system and ensures water quality parameters are met.

Therefore Malaeloa, and Leone to Fagali’i villages— containing St. Theresa Elementary, Faasa’o Marist High School, Leone Midkiff Elementary, Leone High School and Alataua Lua Elementary— do not need to boil water.

In the Bay area, wells in Pago Pago have been monitored for bacteriological contamination and negative results indicate that all Pago Pago wells are clear of any bacteria from the coliform group.

Furthermore, ASPA has installed locking mechanisms on valves that ensure production from the Tafuna Well Field does not blend with production in the Pago Pago water system. Thus, Pago Pago to Atu’u villages—which include Coleman Elementary—do not need to boil water.

Utu also said that ‘check valves’ ensure that water flows in one direction. He noted that a check valve in Iliili ensures a physical separation of water pumped from Tafuna and Malaeloa Well Fields. Therefore, customers residing from Malaeloa to Vaitogi do not need to boil water.

The areas of Tutuila where the BWN remains starts in Iliili, in front of the Antioch Assembly of God Church extending eastwards to Pago Pago village. “All villages between these two points must continue to boil water,” Utu said in the report. “ASPA’s target date to completely lift the BWN is December 2016.”

According to the executive director, ASPA provides each year for all schools in the BWN affected areas, water coolers and 5-gallon water bottles. “Before the next school year starts, ASPA will re-visit each school and resupply where necessary,” he said.

The ASPA report also includes the lists of 19 public and private schools affected by the BWN: Iakina Academy schools; Kanana Fou schools, Pacific Horizons, Peteli Academy; Samoa Baptist; South Pacific Academy; South Pacific International Christian Center school; Taiala Academy; ASCC; Lupelele Elementary; Manulele Tausala Elementary; Manumalo Baptist schools; Matafao Elementary; Nu’uuli Voc Tech; Pavaiai Elementary; Samoana High School; Siliaga Elementary; Tafuna Elementary; and Tafuna High.

The BWN issue was also raised two weeks ago, during an ASPA briefing of the governor and several lawmakers at the Governor’s Office. At the briefing, Rep. Larry Sanitoa raised the question that many of his constituents from Tualauta are asking— “why are we increasing waste water protection fees again, yet we are still under the boil water notice since 2009?”

Utu was off island for meetings at the time of the ASPA briefing, but lawmakers were later given copies of the report.

Samoa News will report in tomorrow’s edition other actions taken by ASPA to improve the water system on Tutuila and corrective actions to lift the BWN for the rest of Tutuila.

OUTER ISLANDS

On the islands of Ta’u, Ofu, Olosega and Aunu’u - ASPA provides access to potable drinking water that is monitored each month for bacteriological contamination, according to the report, adding that the results from these systems report that water is safe, and these communities do not need to boil water.

ASPA’S ADOPT-A-SCHOOL PROGRAM

Utu informed the governor that ASPA has completed its inspection of all Manu’a schools and noted the corroded and broken fence at Olosega Elementary which needed to be fixed. Minor maintenance and plumbing repairs have been scheduled to coincide with routine ASPA Water and Power Preventive maintenance services.

In addition, ASPA will work with Public Safety Department to wash, paint and repair air conditioning units, and conduct plumbing repairs at Samoana High School.