PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank, in coordination with the Rhode Island Department of Health, has awarded a total of $638,000 in grant funding to small water systems in Newport, Scituate, and Little Compton to address PFAS and manganese contamination impacting public drinking water sources. The awards come from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant Program.
“PFAS and other emerging contaminants are a growing problem for public drinking water systems across Rhode Island, yet small water systems lack the financial resources to address the issue,”
“450 students and faculty rely on our drinking water system, and that’s why we are committed to removing PFAS contamination,”
“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,”
Emerging Contaminants Grants:
$550,000 – Little Compton School District
Project: PFAS Treatment and Water System Improvement at Wilbur & McMahon Schools. Design and implement treatment upgrades to remove elevated levels of PFAS impacting the water system serving 450 students and faculty
$48,000 – JEMP 1 LLC / Scituate Commons Apartment Complex
Project: PFAS Treatment System Planning at Scituate Apartment Complex. Design treatment system upgrades to remove elevated levels of PFAS impacting residents of the Scituate Commons Apartment Complex.
$40,000 – Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County
Project: Planning and Design of Manganese Treatment System at Camp Grosvenor. Design treatment system upgrades to remove elevated levels of iron and manganese impacting the approximately 300 individuals using the camp’s drinking water system.