$100,000.00 PRESENTED TODAY TO THE PAWTUCKET WATER SUPPLY BOARD FOR WATERSHED LAND PROTECTION & CONSERVATION
PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island Water Resources Board Corporate recently approved to make available $100,000.00 to the Pawtucket Water Supply Board (PWSB) to be used to complete the Staples Road/Sneech Pond Property acquisition. These funds stem from the issuance of Revenue Bonds in 2002 for the RI Public Drinking Water Protection Program. The $100,000 is their first installment of a total allotment of $2,680,261 in Phase III of the program. The check presentation announcing the successful accomplishments of this program took place today at 10:00 a.m. at the Offices of the Water Resources Board located on North Main Street in Providence, Rhode Island.
"We're excited to present these monies to the PWSB" said M. Paul Sams, General Manager of the RI Water Resources Board. "These funds will help the PWSB assist in the purchase of watershed protection lands which further protects the publics' health and welfare," added Mr. Sams. The PWSB has also accomplished over $3,322,167.00 of Open Space land acquisitions (344 acres) under Phase's II & I of this program to protect their watershed.
"The monies will be used for the interior refurbishment of the Setian Lane Water Tank, which is essential to ensure the Water Authority's ability to provide good quality water to its citizens," said Tim Brown, General Manager of the KCWA. "This project is part of an ongoing mission to protect the system's water supply quality and would not have been done as quickly and extensively without the assistance of the State Water Resources Board," added Mr. Brown. In total, KCWA has received under this program over $1,250,000.00 from the (RIWRB).
"The Pawtucket Water Supply Board is pleased to contribute to the protection of drinking water quality in the Abbott Run watershed. Acquiring this property will add a buffer zone to potential contamination of the drinking water supply and make our job of providing safe, high quality drinking water that much easier," said Pamela Marchand, Chief Engineer of the Pawtucket Water Supply Board. "This project is part of an ongoing mission to protect the City's water supply quality and we appreciate the assistance of the State Water Resources Board and all other parties involved," added Ms. Marchand.
"We're delighted about issuing PWSB's first installment check and proud of the accomplishments this program has taken which were realized through foresight, hard work, and collaboration between the Board's various departments or committees and Rhode Island's water and land conservation community," said Daniel Varin, Chairman of the RI Water Resources Board. "The programs objectives of protecting the quality and safety of the publics' drinking water supply not only for today, but also for future generations of Rhode Islanders is an on-going process and is surely being realized as evidenced by the results of Phase II & I of this program", added Mr. Varin. In Phase's II and I of the program, funds in the amount of $18,343,382 were used for watershed protection and water quality improvement projects, which included the purchasing and preserving of 2410 acres of Open Space lands.
The Rhode Island Water Resources Board Corporate has as one of its' objectives to protect the quality and safety of the public drinking water supply by providing revenue bonding for the acquisition of properties surrounding watersheds and water supply facilities for the municipal water suppliers.
***The Rhode Island Water Resources Board Corporate has as one of its' objectives to protect the quality and safety of the public drinking water supply by providing revenue bonding for the acquisition of properties surrounding watersheds and water supply facilities for the municipal water suppliers.