PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank has awarded $638,000 in grant funding to small water systems in Newport, Scituate and Little Compton to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, and manganese contamination impacting public drinking water sources, the infrastructure bank announced.
The grants come from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant Program and were awarded in coordination with the R.I. Department of Health.
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Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank Executive Director William Fazioli said while PFAS and other emerging contaminants are a growing problem for public drinking water systems across the state, small water systems lack the financial resources to address the issue.
“That is why we are pleased to provide $638,000 in Emerging Contaminants grant funding to small water systems in Newport, Scituate, and Little Compton that collectively serve approximately 800 people,” Fazioli said. “Utilizing this grant funding, each system will be able to upgrade their treatment processes to remove PFAS and manganese contaminants.”
The Little Compton School District received the largest grant at $550,000, which will be used to design and implement upgrades to the water system to remove elevated levels of PFAS impacting the water system that serves the 450 students and faculty at the Wilbur & McMahon Schools facility.
“As a small water system, upgrading our treatment process is a significant expense. That’s why we want to thank the Infrastructure Bank and Rhode Island Department of Health for working with us to apply for and receive this Emerging Contaminants grant funding,” said Laurie Dias-Mitchell, superintendent of the Little Compton School Department. “With a new treatment process, we will remove PFAS contamination and ensure that our students and faculty have access to safe drinking water.”
A $48,000 grant was awarded to JEMP 1 LLC, which will be used to design treatment system upgrades to remove elevated levels of PFAS impacting residents of the Scituate Commons Apartment Complex.
Finally, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County received a $40,000 grant, which will be used to design treatment system upgrades to remove elevated levels of iron and manganese from the camp’s drinking water system that serves approximately 300 individuals.
“This funding makes critical resources available to small public water systems in Rhode Island for specific projects to improve local drinking water infrastructure, the quality of the drinking water they provide, and protect public health,” Director of Health Dr. Jerry Larkin said. “We are pleased to announce the award of this funding with our partners at the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank.”
