           Home > News > News Item |
||||||
 |
News Release RI Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908 (401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
DEM ANNOUNCES TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS IN JANUARY TO DISCUSS WAYS TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY IN THE BI-STATE KICKEMUIT WATERSHED PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management announces that it will co-sponsor two public meetings in early January with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to discuss recommendations and strategies for improving water quality in the bi-state Kickemuit River/Reservoir Watershed. These waters serve as a portion of the source waters for the Bristol County Water Authority (BCWA) water supply, which, after treatment, is distributed to customers in Bristol, Warren and Barrington. DEM has completed a draft water quality restoration plan to address bacterial and total phosphorus impairments of these source waters. Such plans, known as TMDLs (Total Maximum Daily Load), are mandated by the federal Clean Water Act and establish the maximum pollutant load that a waterbody can assimilate and still meet water quality standards.The draft water quality restoration plan will be presented at two public meetings; the first will be held at 7 p.m. on January 9th at the Warren Town Hall at 514 Main Street in Warren, and the second will be held at 7 p.m. on January 11th at the Swansea School Administration Building conference room at 1 Gardners Neck Road, in Swansea, MA. The watershed of the Kickemuit Reservoir and freshwater portion of the Kickemuit River comprise more than 5.2 square miles and extend northeast from Warren into portions of Swansea and Rehoboth, MA. With the exception of the Warren Reservoir in Massachusetts, all reaches of the river, as well as the reservoir, fail to meet state standards for fecal coliform, an indicator of pathogen contamination, and are impaired by excessive phosphorus loadings resulting in excess algal growth/chlorophyll a and other related impairments. Based upon available water quality data, the restoration plan calls for reductions in bacteria loads ranging from 66 percent for the Lower Kickemuit Reservoir to more than 99 percent for the main stem of the river shortly before it enters Rhode Island. To establish allowable nutrient levels, DEM relied upon the results of a water quality model, which finds that total phosphorus loads must be cut in half. Though the available data indicate that the surface waters of the Kickemuit River watershed are not meeting bacteria, total phosphorus, and other related standards, these results do not indicate that violations of drinking water standards have occurred because the water is treated at the BCWA water treatment plant in Warren prior to distribution. The principal sources of bacteria and excessive phosphorus loadings to the Kickemuit River and its tributaries are failing residential cesspools and septic systems, agricultural activities, and stormwater runoff. Recommended future actions include implementation of pollution reduction measures, such as proper wastewater treatment systems, sound management of stormwater drainage systems, including the construction of best management practices to mitigate urban runoff pollution, agricultural best management practices, and the expansion of educational programs for watershed residents promoting river stewardship. Interested parties will have until January 30, 2006 to provide written comments about the water quality restoration plan to DEM in Rhode Island or the DEP in Massachusetts. The agencies will respond to all comments received and, as appropriate, revise the draft plan prior to submitting the final document to the federal Environmental Protection Agency for final approval. Copies of the document's abstract will be available at the meeting. The entire draft document is available online at DEM's website, www.dem.ri.gov, by clicking on "Water Quality" under "Topics," then "Restoration Studies." For additional information or to submit written comments, contact either: Cindy Hannus, DEM Office of Water Resources, 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908-5767 or by telephone at (401) 222-4700 ext. 7241, or by e-mail at cindy.hannus@dem.ri.gov; or Russell Isaac, Ph.D., Massachusetts DEP Division of Watershed Management, 627 Main St., 2nd Floor, Worcester, MA 01608 or by telephone at (508) 767-2876 or by e-mail at Russell.Isaac@state.ma.us. -30- |
|||||
For General Information 222-6800 • After Hours Emergencies 222-3070 • Disclaimer