Woonsocket to upgrade drinking water infrastructure

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WLNE) — Woonsocket residents are in line to receive an upgrade in the quality of their drinking water.

The Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank says it has closed on $5.5M in loans to finance drinking water infrastructure in the city.

Woonsocket Mayor Christopher Beauchamp said the city will be removing lead services from its system and installing new ‘smart water meters’ to detect leaks, at no cost to residents.

“There’s nothing more basic to our city’s residents and businesses than clean drinking water,” Beauchamp said. “Thanks to these loans, we’ll be making major investments to upgrade Woonsocket’s drinking water infrastructure.”

Beauchamp says city officials will also be providing customers with information about how to better conserve water.

Details of the two loans:

Loan 1: $5,000,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

• $2 million in principal forgiveness (e.g. a grant) for water meter replacements

Loan 2: $525,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

• $505,000 in principal forgiveness for replacing lead service lines. 

Funding for these loans was made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, passed by Congress in November 2021.

“Thanks to funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said William Fazioli, Executive Director of Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank. “Our State Drinking Water Revolving Fund will be making loans and grants, like this one, to communities across the state to maintain and modernize their drinking water infrastructure.”

“That’s a win for residents, businesses, our cities and towns, and for Rhode Island’s economy,” Fazioli added.

Woonsocket will save more than $600,000 in interest costs over the course of the loan due to the Infrastructure Bank’s below market rates, according to Beauchamp.