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News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
For Release: October 5, 2004
Contact: Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402
Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418

DEM NOTIFIED OF SLUDGE SPILL AT PROVIDENCE WATER SUPPLY TREATMENT PLANT IN SCITUATE
Minimal Impacts to Half-Mile Stretch of Pawtuxet River Expected

PROVIDENCE -- The Department of Environmental Management was notified Sunday evening that up to a million gallons of water and ferric sulfate sludge spilled from holding lagoons at the Providence Water Supply Board's drinking water treatment plant on Route 116 in Scituate. Ferric sulfate is an iron compound that is used in the treatment of potable water, and is not considered toxic.

The plant notified DEM that the spill occurred around 2 p.m. Sunday and lasted for about six hours. DEM's Emergency Response Team responded to the facility Sunday evening, and has continued to visit the plant on a daily basis since the spill. Although the gate structure and boards in the lagoon's overflow structure failed, the full cause of the spill is still unknown. Most of the material was discharged into a wetland area between the lagoons and the Pawtuxet River, and then entered the river downstream from the plant. A one-half mile area, located between Gainer Dam on Route 12 and Hope Mill Dam at Route 116 and Hope Furnace Road, was impacted by the spill.

Water quality samples taken Monday show elevated levels of iron and turbidity at the point of discharge into the Pawtuxet River. However, results from water samples taken downstream within a half-mile of the spill were at background levels. No significant water quality impacts are expected, although a slight discoloration of the river may be visible in the Hope section of Scituate.

On Wednesday, the Providence Water Supply Board's cleanup contractor will begin removing the sludge material from the wetlands. This is expected to take several days to complete. DEM will provide oversight of the removal efforts. The Department has required the facility to conduct daily water quality monitoring and take water samples from the Pawtuxet River, and to submit their findings to DEM as they become available.

The Providence water treatment plant typically releases about nine million gallons of water per day into the Pawtuxet River. In an effort to more quickly remove any residual material from the river, has released about 16 million gallons of water a day since Sunday's release. The ferric sulfate sludge in the lagoons is normally taken to a local composting facility.

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