EAST PROVIDENCE — Water, access to the clean, consumable kind, is a matter of common interest for the cities and towns that neighbor East Providence. It’s also an issue which only continues to gain in significance politically for those who represent those municipalities.
Of the state offices being contested locally in 2014, both are taking place in districts bases predominantly outside East Providence (Barrington and Bristol): State Senate 32 and State Representative 66. State Senate candidates Cindy Coyne (D) and Giovanni Cicione (R) along with State Rep candidates Joy Hearn (D) and Joel Hellmann (I) were each asked to respond to the following question:
“It is understood by local and state officials a need for the Upper East Bay municipalities to have a secondary water source. In East Providence, specifically, there is also a concern about the long-term viability of its main connection to the Scituate Reservoir. At the State House, how would you go about dealing with both of these issues in what could be termed a financially responsible manner for the residents of the city?”
Joy Hearn
“I believe that a statewide recognition of the importance of maintaining a safe drinking water supply is critical. If re-elected I would look to the Rhode Island Water Resources Board. The Board charged through legislation to assist water authorities with the planning and developing of water supplies to undertake a feasibility assessment for a secondary water source for East Providence and an assessment of East Providence’s current main connection to the Scituate Reservoir.
“It is important that East Providence have all the information to make the clear case of need. Relying on those assessments and a plan of action I would assist, as a member of the East Providence delegation, to investigate funding through low interest loans (or possibly zero percent loans) through the R.I. Clean Water Finance Agency, investigate with our Washington delegation the possibility of federal funds available and investigate other funding that might be available through surcharges already in effect. I believe that it is important that if funding is used to improve the infrastructure that maintenance plan be attached to the awarding of funds. The importance of maintaining our infrastructure, all types, cannot be over estimated. The cost of neglect is too great.”
Joel Hellman
“How important is reliable clean drinking water? Arguably nothing is more important. I am the current chair of the Bristol County Water Authority Finance sub-committee. We have been very concerned with a secondary source of good drinking water. We had one coming from Mass, but with the new quality standards in place, it is not acceptable. So BCWA has been working to have a secondary source, and the most likely source is to get it from the Pawtucket Water authority.
“We all missed a great opportunity last year. We could have combined with East Providence to share the costs to bring a secondary source to all 4 communities. In addition in the original bond last year, there was a $13,500,000 grant to help off-set the costs. It was removed at the last minute from the bond. This is unfortunate. There were 3 reasons given: 1. The Warren town council had not signed off. 2 the East Providence City Council did not sign off on it. But most important the City of Providence and the Providence Water Authority objected and lobbied hard against it at the state house.
“If you don’t follow such things then you would not know that the Warren Town Council has a real problem with collaborating with other towns for some time now. They feel that their school costs are too high due to the makeup of the Bristol Warren school committee. (There are 6 Bristol members and 3 Warren members) They feel they are shouldering a disproportionate expense of the regional schools. They may be right I don’t know. But the fact is they are very suspicious of collaborating.
“I can completely understand why East Providence was hesitant. I can only imagine what it is like to run a city with the state looking over your shoulder on every expense. That would cause anyone to look long and hard before committing to any expense, even for clean drinking water.
“But the real reason the bond did not include money for East Providence or BCWA from the General Assembly was the Providence Water authority lobbied strongly against a connection to Pawtucket to be made. Why? Because it could cut into Providence Water’s business, that’s why! Don’t be fooled. All the not for profit agencies and quasi-public agencies really act just like any for profit business.
“East Providence Water comes in from a transmission pipeline from the Scituate supply that runs from Budlong Road, Cranston, to the Bay crossing:
“It is owned by East Providence (EP) – approximately 5 miles of 42” concrete water main (these are similar in quality to pipe Providence Water (PW) pipelines that have had many deterioration issues)
“These are two transmission pipelines on the bottom of the Bay installed approximately 1966, 30” steel, which are exposed to water, corrosion, and damage by anchors. These pipes can’t shut down for inspection or repair because the valves don’t work. BCWA’s pipes were installed 1998, and are made of less corrosive material.
“But the bigger concern that indicates that a secondary source of water is needed is much scarier. The Providence Water system supplies 60 percent of the State of R.I.’s drinking water, from a single source and single treatment plant. PW has no back-up supply. PW is not required to supply wholesale customers in an emergency. East Providence and BCWA are wholesale customers of Providence Water.
“This is the nightmare scenario: Around 2010, Homeland Security performed an exercise with RIEMA and PEMA on evacuation procedures should the Scituate Dam be taken out by terrorists. The reservoir flooded the Warwick area to the Bay (by the airport), emptying the reservoir. It was estimated that it would take 2 years to rebuild the dam, and 2 years to fill the reservoir. An extreme example to be sure, but there are numerous conditions under which an interruption of service could occur.
“So if there is a failure in the dam or a terrorist attack, then East Providence and Barrington, Bristol and Warren would not have reliable drinking water for up to 4 years. Think about what you would do without water for 4 years for just a moment.
“The directors of BCWA Really hoped to get the matching grant to help connect to the secondary water supply in Pawtucket and to share in the expense with East Providence . But even if East Providence does not want to connect, and even if there is no grant, the directors of BCWA feel that it is still important to have a secondary source.
“How important is clean drinking water? Personally I think East Providence should find a way to get a secondary source also. The state should help, and if I am elected I will work to do just that.
Giovanni Cicione
“As things stand today, 60 percent of Rhode Island relies on the Scituate Reservoir as their primary water supply. Many of those users, including East Providence, purchase 100 percent of their water via the Scituate Reservoir. I believe that it is in the best interest of East Providence to also connect to the adjacent water supply system in Pawtucket, but I also believe that a state interconnect pipeline system needs to be funded at the state level.
“Unfortunately, because of their inability to undertake realistic budgeting and prioritize the basic needs of Rhode Islanders, the General Assembly has hijacked and wasted the funding sources needed for this interconnect. In the event of a catastrophic failure of the Scituate Reservoir, every drop will count from every alternate supply. Catastrophic failures of the Scituate Reservoir have been studied, and while remote, there is always a possibility. This includes studies of the single dam that holds back all that reservoir water.
“Along with the rest of Rhode Island, East Providence is in serious trouble if the supply to the Scituate Reservoir is interrupted. Unlike the rest of the state, however, East Providence runs the risk of its sole source – two 20 inch cast iron surface lines – being compromised. There is a real question whether the backup through Bristol County Water Authorities East Bay pipeline would even work through the pumping station in that unfortunate circumstance.
“The result would be emergency service via a small gravity fed line from Pawtucket with near-impossible water rationing imposed upon the residents of East Providence. There is no question that we are whistling by the graveyard by doing nothing with regard to this very serious issue.
“The Rhode Island Water Resources Board has a vision of a network of pipeline connections throughout the State interconnecting various water supplies should any single source fail. Rhode Island has not adequately funded this initiative at the state level.
“The Pawtucket state-of-the-art water processing plant has a capacity of 26 million gallons per day. If the Pawtucket processing plant is to serve as a partial backup source to many communities, including East Providence, the state needs to take a greater funding role in promoting financial support for a statewide interconnect pipeline network. It’s not just the cost of the pipelines themselves, but maintenance of the system. Water must be kept moving at all times throughout the entire system.
“Nor should the burden fall on any one community. Redundancy and maintenance of systems that support multiple communities is clearly best handled at the state level.
“Losing the Scituate supply for any reason would be a disaster for the residents and businesses of East Providence.”
Cindy Coyne
“Having an adequate and safe supply of drinking water is a necessity, and it has long been recognized that drawing this water from a single source places a community at risk. Because of the importance of a safe drinking water supply to a community’s health, safety, and welfare, having a secondary water source is not a luxury.
“This issue must be dealt with collaboratively, in the same way that communities and diverse interests come together to address other complex issues. When addressing issues that address multiple communities, all those involved in finding a solution must be willing to work together, while recognizing that cost is a critical factor which must be considered in every situation.
“I have a proven ability to reach across party lines and to work with colleagues representing diverse and sometimes competing interests. We must work to safeguard primary and develop secondary water sources. I look forward to working collaboratively with colleagues from across the state to build understanding and develop financially responsible solutions to issues such as this, which so greatly impact our community.”