Rota road access, ruptured waterline top DPW priorities after Bavi

The Department of Public Works has identified restoring road access and addressing a ruptured waterline on Rota as its top priorities following the devastation left by Super Typhoon Bavi, while also preparing debris collection efforts to support the island's long-term recovery.

DPW Secretary Ray Yumul said crews are focusing first on clearing blocked roads to allow emergency responders and utility crews to reach affected areas before shifting to broader recovery operations.

"The priority of work is clear primary roadways and then roadways to shelters, roadways to the various fire stations, and then roadways to the seaports, airports, and then secondaries and the like."

While Saipan and Tinian sustained relatively limited roadway impacts, Yumul said Rota faces far greater challenges after numerous trees and debris blocked Route 10, the island's primary highway.

Fortunately, he said equipment had already been staged on Rota before Bavi's arrival, allowing Mayor Aubry Hocog to begin clearing a route from Sinapalo to Songsong Village, where the Rota Health Center and Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services are located. Even so, only a single lane is currently passable in some sections because of the volume of fallen trees.

DPW is now arranging emergency tree-cutting contracts while organizing able-bodied department employees to travel to Rota and assist local recovery crews.

Complicating matters, officials have also discovered a major break in the island's water transmission line from the Water Cave, with debris blocking portions of Route 100 and preventing repair crews from reaching the damaged infrastructure.

"Mayor Aubrey reported that there is a waterline break from the water cave. The waterline is ruptured... So I've reached out to Federal Highway... so [Commonwealth Utilities Corp.] crew can go in and address the leaks and also survey the almost 3.5 miles of waterline."

Yumul said the aging above-ground pipeline is particularly vulnerable to falling trees and landslides, prompting DPW engineers to coordinate with CUC to determine whether replacement pipes and fittings are available.

"That's the two top priorities for Rota right now that my team is addressing... the road and the water pipe damage."

He added that DPW will also send personnel, including himself if necessary, to assess conditions firsthand while ensuring temporary debris staging and disposal sites are ready to receive storm debris generated by Bavi.

The department plans to modify the existing temporary debris staging and reduction sites originally established after Super Typhoon Sinlaku so they can properly process Bavi-related waste and qualify for federal reimbursement.

"We've got to make sure that the TDSR sites on Rota... make appropriate adjustments to the facilities to accept the debris stream coming as a result of Super Typhoon Bavi."

On Saipan, DPW crews are continuing to clear debris from primary and secondary roads, while Tinian municipal crews are conducting similar work with assistance from the Commonwealth.

However, Yumul stressed that residents on Saipan and Tinian should not place storm debris along roadsides expecting Federal Emergency Management Agency pickup, saying this recovery effort differs from the cleanup following Super Typhoon Sinlaku.

"There is no roadside collection of typhoon debris. So please... do not bring debris out to the roadways because it's not going to be part of our cleanup effort."

Instead, residents are encouraged to haul residential debris directly to the Marpi Landfill or transfer station, where disposal remains free for household drop-offs.