Bureau of Reclamation Engineers Complete Water Treatment Assessment Report for Palau Public Utilities Corporation

WASHINGTON – The Trump Administration is pleased to announce that a team from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation has completed a preliminary water assessment report to help improve water treatment facilities in the Republic of Palau. Funding support for this work was provided by the Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs and announced by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt at the Pacific Islands Forum Partners Dialogue in August 2019.

“Last year at the Pacific Islands Forum Partners Dialogue in Tuvalu, Interior Secretary Bernhardt announced Interior collaboration and support for water security projects in the freely associated states in demonstration of the United States’ ongoing commitment to be engaged in the Pacific Islands region,” said Interior Assistant Secretary Douglas W. Domenech. “Furthermore, these projects represent Interior’s commitment to the special relationships enshrined in the Compacts of Free Association with these island nations.”

"Reclamation is known for its ‘can do’ spirit and fulfilling promises. To that end, I am excited to release this Water Treatment Assessment Report developed in partnership with the Office of Insular Affairs and the Republic of Palau,” said Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman. “This report is a first step towards developing practical and sustainable water treatment solutions and signifies the beginning of what we hope is a long partnership with Palau.” 

“I am proud that the U.S. government has followed through on the commitment made by the Secretary of the Interior at the Pacific Islands Forum Partners Dialogue last year,” stated U.S. Ambassador to Palau John Hennessey-Niland. “The United States has worked closely with Palau on this assessment to help improve water treatment facilities. Clean drinking water is vitally important for everyone.”

Water treatment engineers from Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation traveled to Palau in early February 2020, where they worked closely with the Palau Public Utilities Corporation to assess the existing conditions at seventeen water treatment plants, most of which were not in compliance with regulatory drinking water standards. The team prepared a work plan and budget to develop alternatives for process and equipment modifications needed to comply with drinking water standards and to address other issues, such as capacity and aging infrastructure. A full copy of the finalized report has been submitted to the Palau Public Utilities Corporation and is available on the OIA website at: https://www.doi.gov/oia/reports.

Announced by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt at the 2019 Pacific Islands Forum Partners Dialogue last August, this water project for Palau was part of an initiative to support water security projects in the freely associated states. A hydraulic modeling project was conducted with the Majuro Water and Sewer Company in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, with results and recommendations still pending. Work in the Federated States of Micronesia has been postponed due to travel restrictions imposed under the coronavirus pandemic.

The Office of Insular Affairs provided $400,000 in support of this initiative. For more information on the Office of Insular Affairs, visit https://www.doi.gov/oia. For more information about the Bureau of Reclamation’s work, visit https://www.usbr.gov/.

The Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, @ASIIADomenech, and the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) carry out the Secretary of the Interior’s responsibilities for the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Additionally, OIA administers and oversees federal assistance under the Compacts of Free Association to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Follow and “like” OIA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/InsularAffairs.

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