Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — With American Samoa set to receive millions of dollar in infrastructure money from federally approved legislation, Rep. Larry S. Sanitoa has asked the Lemanu Administration to consider portions of this money for drainage and road projects for Tualauta county.

Sanitoa made the request through a Jan. 2nd letter to Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga, on behalf of Tualauta lawmakers — in both the Senate and House — and their Tualauta constituents. He also revealed a new concern over availability of drinking water from the Tualauta acquifers.

In the letter, Sanitoa points to the recent 2020 census which shows that Tualauta is the most populated county and that it has experienced rapid growth and development over the last ten years. And it’s common knowledge by now that the flooding conditions in Tualauta County continue to worsen.

“We believe you are fully informed and aware of the situation, and there is no need to elaborate on the risks presented to our people or to stress the urgent nature of achieving progress on these flood control and drainage construction projects,” he wrote. “We also understand the challenges in moving forward with these projects was due to the lack of funding.”

However, he said that last month, the U.S Congress passed the $550 billion infrastructure bill signed by U.S President Biden, which includes over $100 million for American Samoa’s transportation; roads, drainages, bridges, ports, etc.

“We respectfully ask that the administration consider a proportional amount of this $100 million infrastructure funding based on population should be allocated to Tualauta District, to finally address the decades of many critical drainage and deplorable road projects,” he said.

For example, the the Tualauta Mitigation project, the Fagaima road and drainage project, the Cost-U-Less drainage project, the Ottoville and Hope House drainage projects, etc.

Aside from the ongoing flooding problems in Tualauta that has placed tremendous financial hardship on our residents — there NOW exists a concern about the amount of drinking water available from acquafiers in Tualauta due to the lack of proper drainage and the runoff water, he said.

No additional information was available at press time on the availability of drinking water from Tualauta aquifers. 

“We look forward to your most favorable response, and we remain optimistic that we will see a workable solution to our many problems,” he said, and included with the letter the updated list — as of January 2022 of pending projects for Tualauta county — which includes major drainage and road projects.

OTHER ISSUES

At the outset of his letter, Sanitoa express gratitude and “fa’afetai tele lava” to the governor and Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo V. Ale “for your strong leadership and commitment to protecting our people from the deadly COVID-19 virus while at the same time, bringing our stranded residents and families home safely throughout all of last year”.

Also on behalf of Sens. Magalei Logovi’i and Fonoti Tafa’ifa Aufata and Rep. Samuel Meleisea, “plus all our constituents, I extend our many thanks for the recently completed road improvements work” in Vaitogi village.

“We would also like to thank Paramount Builders as well for the professional and exceptional work on this road project,” he said, noting that this “was one of the deplorable roads which was on the list of priorities for the Tualauta District when he and Meleisea met with the governor in early 2021.

“We thank you as well for there are other secondary road projects throughout the district that were completed last year funded by the Special Programs account,” he said.

Copies of Sanitoa’s letter were also transmitted to Talauega, the Public Works director and Tualauta lawmakers.