Directors stress East Providence’s drinking water is safe

Recent notice was mandatory, sent as a precaution

By Mike Rego
Posted 2/23/18

EAST PROVIDENCE — The message was clear and definitive. East Providence’s drinking water is safe. The notice sent out to residents two weeks ago was done so because of policy and …

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Directors stress East Providence’s drinking water is safe

Recent notice was mandatory, sent as a precaution

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — The message was clear and definitive. East Providence’s drinking water is safe. The notice sent out to residents two weeks ago was done so because of policy and precaution.

Those were the words of Department of Public Works Director Steve Coutu, who spoke on the subject at the February 20 city council meeting.

“It is not an emergency. There is no immediate risk,” he said, emphatically.

Mr. Coutu’s remarks came during a PowerPoint presentation, where he once again reiterated that in spite of recent test showing increased levels of Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) in the city’s water system, the need to send out a notice to the community was based on long-standing policy set by the Rhode Island Department of Health.

As he as done in the past, Mr. Coutu recounted East Providence’s history of water issues, dating back to 2005 when there was an order put in place for residents to boil water due to the presence of fecal coliform. Since, however, testing has found no further evidence of the bacteria. But, because of that initial finding, the city is required to inform residents when any other similar increases occur.

Mr. Coutu termed the most recent increase as an “acute violation” or a one-off not something systemic. He explained the city tests water at four locations four times per year. The results, which were once an average of the four, are now specific to each location.

Mr. Coutu stressed many systems around the state and other parts of the country “are struggling” to meet both state and federal water safety standards as it pertains to maintaining a proper balance between the levels of disinfectant and byproduct it produces.

He noted Smithfield Water, also a wholesaler of Providence Water through which East Providence’s water is derived, also experienced the same DBP violation during this recent sampling quarter.

As a means of addressing the problem, Bristol County Water, which services Barrington, Warren and Bristol, recently installed aeration systems in its storage tanks to reduce DBPs, something East Providence will be doing in its newly constructed tank on the Kent Heights site later this summer in August. In addition, something that should also address the situation in city, he said Providence Water is also looking into installing aerators in two storage reservoirs that serve Smithfield and North Providence.

Water Division Supervisor Jim Marvel, who emphasized the violation was not “serious” in nature, added the language in the notice sent was “specific” to federal Environmental Protection Agency guidelines and the city was “cautioned” against making any changes. He said East Providence can send out a separate notice with less industry jargon, but the formal one must remain consistent with EPA mandates.

The supervisor continued, saying existing conditions prior to the installation of the aerator in the Kent Heights tank may mean more violations might be forthcoming.

“Honestly, we could see one in February and another one in May, but that should be the end of it,” Mr. Marvel said.

He added with the installation of the aerator in August, the culmination of the city's three-year, $19 million effort to repair its water system should be complete.

"If we were to rack up violations and not do anything, it would become a very serious issue," Mr. Marvel said. "But the Health Department, we've worked with them. They're aware of what our plans are. They're aware of what we're doing. So, no, it's not a serious incident."

About the actions of the school department, the move by Superintendent Kathryn Crowley to supply schools with bottled water for the rest of the term in reaction to the issuance of the notice, City Manager Tim Chapman said it was due in part to “a lack of communication” on both sides.

Mr. Chapman continued, “It was unfortunate because I think a lot of that could have been avoided.”

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MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.