The Saipan water distribution system has been divided into 15 sub-regions. Each region is expected to operate somewhat independently. However, due to inadequate inflow to some of the sub-regions, system leakage, and lack of knowledge of the system behavior as a whole, the system is unable to provide 24-hour water services. A stated goal of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) Government is to provide 24-hour water to all residents served by the Commonwealth Utility Corporation (CUC) water system. The CNMI Governor created a task force whose primary purpose is to find funding and oversee the CUC accomplishments toward the 24-hours water service goal. To assist in reaching their goals, the CUC commissioned the university of Guam Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific (WERI) to develop a hydraulic model of the Saipan water system and to train CUC water division staff in the use of that model.

WERI researchers developed computerized models of each of the fifteen sub-regions of the CUC water system using the Haestad WaterCad water system modeling program. They also, developed a source, transmission and storage model of the Saipan water system. This includes a skeleton of the existing 15-region water system models that are joined together at the boundary points. For the model to provide optimal results, it is essential to have a good knowledge of the residential and commercial demands being placed on the distribution system. Without this knowledge it is impossible to have a well calibrated hydraulic model of the water system.

The specific objectives of this project were to:

1. Determine the average use rate for residential customers in Saipan and to determine the actual use rate for high commercial consumers such as Laundromats, commercial laundries, and hotels.
2. Using Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques determine all residential and commercial customer locations in Saipan and assign appropriate use rates to the water system model junction that is closest to each customer location.
3. Export the data developed in Step 2 into the Saipan Water System Hydraulic Model.

The improvements to the demand estimates used in the existing water system model will provide the CUC water division with the capability to better identify what changes in operation and system improvements are required in order to meet the goals of improved water quality and 24-hour water to all of the CUC customers.