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News Release RI Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade St., Providence, RI 02908 (401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
DEM TO HOLD SEPTEMBER 5TH STAKEHOLDER MEETING TO DISCUSS WATER QUALITY ISSUES IN THE KICKEMUIT RESERVOIR PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management and the New England Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Agency will host a public meeting on Wednesday, September 5 to discuss the status of the water quality restoration plan being developed for the Kickemuit Reservoir.The Kickemuit Reservoir plays an important role in providing drinking water to residents of Bristol, Warren, and Barrington. The Kickemuit is the terminal point in a series of reservoirs in Rhode Island and Massachusetts that supply raw water to the Bristol County Water Authority (BCWA). BCWA treats the water from the reservoir to meet or surpass state and federal standards for drinking water quality and safety and then distributes it to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in the three towns. The reservoir is also regulated as a surface water by the state, and as such, it must meet certain water quality standards set by DEM. These standards are intended to restore, preserve, and enhance the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the state's waters and to serve the purposes of the Clean Water Act. The Kickemuit Reservoir is listed on Rhode Island's 303(d) List of Water Quality Impaired Waterbodies as impaired by pathogens, nutrients, excessive algae growth, taste and odor, and turbidity. The reservoir's inclusion on the state's 303(d) list is due to surface water conditions within the reservoir prior to treatment of the water for consumption, and does not indicate that violations of drinking water standards have occurred. In an effort to address these surface water problems in the reservoir, DEM has partnered with EPA and the BCWA to develop a water quality restoration plan, known as a total maximum daily load (TMDL), for the Kickemuit Reservoir. The goal of the TMDL is to improve the quality of the pre-treated water in the reservoir by addressing potential pollution sources in both the Rhode Island and Massachusetts portions of the watershed. A public meeting was held in April 2000 to discuss the project and present a plan to collect water quality samples. DEM and EPA have collected water quality data during the past year, reviewed land use in the watershed, and conducted several field investigations during wet and dry weather. At the September 5th stakeholder meeting, DEM will present the results of these efforts and discuss the next steps in TMDL development for the Kickemuit Reservoir. The public meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Warren Town Council Chambers, located at 514 Main Street. For more information about the meeting or the TMDL program, contact Brian Zalewsky in DEM's Office of Water Resources at (401) 222-4700 ext. 7145. -30- |
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