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No relief for Tualauta; Boil Water Notice remains

“The original plan to manifold the Fagaima wells is no longer feasible, due to land issues, and the majority of the wells have now been classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as GUDI (Groundwater Under the Direct Influence) of surface water,” said Reno Vivao, ASPA’s Chief Operation Office.

 

Vivao was responding to concerns raised by Tualauta faipule Larry Sanitoa, who inquired on the status of ASPA & EPA's plan to address the Boil Water notice still in affect in Tualauta county.

 

Sanitoa pointed out that when the Fono was in session they were told that new wells will be drilled in the Tafuna and Iliili areas. He also pointed out a suggestion by Tualauta resident, Lawrence French, who has advocated for years that in the bush area between Kokoland and the main highway, ASG should purchase about six acres of land. 

 

In an email sent to Sanitoa, French explained, “you dig a hole about 30+ feet deep and make a lined reservoir. All of the water coming from the two major streams by the ASCC would be diverted to that reservoir. The water would be filtered and treated and pumped into the mains as needed.”

 

“The reservoir of that size would hold 24.5 Million gallons. You could make it another 10 deep and have a 30 million gallon water reservoir. You would get about 100,000 cu yd of stone to make highways with. That equates to about the amount of aggregate for 15+ miles of road.”

 

In a response letter to both French and Sanitoa, Vivao said the reservoir proposal is a good alternative but it would be costly, and the land issues would most likely be an uphill battle.

 

“Such an undertaking will require the collective efforts of the land owners, all government agencies that will be involved and the community,” said Vivao. He further pointed out that ASPA’s current plan is to drill new wells in the Tafuna and Malaeloa areas to replace seven of the nine wells in Fagaima that have been tested to be GUDI wells.

 

“The new wells are estimated to produce about 1,000 gpm and production is estimated to be sufficient to replace 50% of the current production of the Fagaima GUDI wells. Other well sites have been identified and will be drilled as funding sources become available.

 

ASPA’s goal is to remove the Boil Water Notice in the next two years, he said, adding that ASPA has in place plans to drill new wells and set targets to reduce the water losses.

 

Also, “ASPA will be re-commissioning the Fagatogo micro filtration plant,” he said, adding that ASPA has submitted the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) application and funding request to the United States-Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to drill new wells in the area and are awaiting their approval. We are planning on drilling these new wells this year and completing connection of these new wells to the system in the next couple of years.”

 

Samoa News notes the Water Boil Notice has been in effect for several years now, and continues to be one of the hot button issues of many Tualauta residents, including the flooding that occurs whenever it rains in certain Tualauta areas.