Council approves last portion of East Providence water system improvements

Aerator is expected to be installed in August

By Mike Rego
Posted 6/20/18

EAST PROVIDENCE — If everything goes according to plan, and that’s a small “if” not a large one, then the last key aspect of the long-term fix to East Providence’s water …

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Council approves last portion of East Providence water system improvements

Aerator is expected to be installed in August

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE —
If everything goes according to plan, and that’s a small “if” not a large one, then the last key aspect of the long-term fix to East Providence’s water system was approved by the council at its meeting Tuesday night, June 19.
That evening, the body gave its initial approval to an ordinance allowing the administration to procure as much as $2 million in funding from the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank for the installation of an aeration system at the Kent Heights water station. The loan would be repaid over a period of 15 years. The cost has already been built into the rate structure, according to Acting City Manager Malcolm Moore. No increase is necessary to undertake the effort, he added.
Previously, both Department of Public Works Director Steve Coutu and Water Supervisor Jim Marvel informed the council the aerator was required to filter out the vestiges of Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs), cceptable unalevels of which have consistency shown up in samples and have forced the city to issue warnings to residents.
Both Messrs. Coutu and Marvel have stressed the matter is not a daily health issue, but rather the warnings were necessary because of federal Environmental Protection Agency water quality mandates.
Mr. Marvel said in prior testimony the city’s recent set of projects in constructing new tanks at the Kent Heights site were done in part to address the chronic problems. The next step of the process is the installation of the aeration system in the Kent Heights water tank, which is designed to significantly reduce the presence of DBPs.
Over the winter, Mr. Marvel said the city’s recent set of projects in constructing new tanks at the Kent Heights plant were done in part to address related problems. The next step of the process is the installation of the aeration system in the main storage tank, which is designed to significantly reduce the presence of DBPs. Once the aerator in put into place as expected in August, the city's most recent three-year $19 million effort to repair the water system should be complete and there should no longer be a need to issue warning notices.
DPW updates
Earlier in last Tuesday’s meeting, Mr. Moore provided an update of a couple of Public Works matters Tuesday in the stead of department director Steve Coutu, who was on vacation last week.
Mr. Moore spoke on the status of the State Street Culvert Project at the request from Ward 2 Councilor Anna Sousa, in whose district the effort is being undertaken. Mr. Moore said the project remains on schedule to start in late July subject to when the actual culverts are fabricated and brought to the site. He said he road will be closed for approximately 30 days with work expected to be completed by the end of August.
In addition, Mr. Moore said planned repaving of roads is scheduled to commence before the end of the month. The agreement with the city and East Providence-based contractor J.H. Lynch & Sons has been signed. The work order and final details of the plan were set to be concluded upon Mr. Coutu’s return from vacation on June 25. Mr. Moore said the entire project is tentatively set to be “substantially complete” by mid-November.
“OK. We’ve got clean water and new roads. We’re doing some good stuff,” Ward 3 Councilor Joe Botelho quipped at the conclusion of the meeting following the unanimous vote to fund the aerator portion of the water project.
Car tax reimbursement
Mr. Moore informed the council a request of the General Assembly to grant the city a waiver on the implementation of car tax reimbursement was denied for the current fiscal year.
Mr. Moore explained because of East Providence’s budgetary calendar, which is not aligned with that of the state, the city is a year behind in starting the reimbursement plan. The state began the gradual reduction of the car tax two fiscal years ago. Due to the start of East Providence’s fiscal year in October rather than July, the city is only in the first year of the reduction. Mr. Moore said he intends to once again ask the legislature to allow East Providence to “double up” this fall prior to the start of the city’s FY2018-19, which would put it in line with the state’s reimbursement schedule.
Chamber upgrades
Mr. Moore, in consultation with City Facilities Director Ed Catelli, said plans to renovate the City Hall Chambers have been considered. The administration is proposing the removal of the existing fixed seating and replace it with movable chairs. Mr. Moore said it would allow for the room to be more “functional” on a regular basis, allowing for tables to be included in the setup when necessary. Also, two large screen TVs are soon to be installed on the back wall of the chamber.
Meeting date change
At the request of Councilor Sousa, the council agreed to move its only scheduled meeting next month from July 17 to July 24. The pubic portion of the meeting will start at its usual time, 7:30 p.m.

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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.