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March 29, 2007

Panel reports Kent County water recommendations

The special legislative commission charged with studying the Kent County Water Authority released a series of broad recommendations in its final report today that will serve as a "springboard" for future conversations about water access across the state, Rep. Raymond J. Sullivan said.

The eight-member committee began investigating the agency's operation in November 2005, after the authority came under fire for a number of issues, including a 25-percent rate hike, restrictions on outdoor wateruse and a lawsuit from an influential developer. Over the span of about a year, the commission conducted hearings in the State House and in the communities serviced by the authority to find out what issues the agency faced.

The agency services 26,360 households in West Warwick, Coventry, East Greenwich and West Greenwich. It also serves parts of Cranston, Warwick, Scituate and North Kingstown.

Some of the problems, the commission found, were beyond the control of the agency. Sen. J. Michael Lenihan, co-chairman of the commission, pointed to the bureaucracy that keeps organizations such as the Kent County Water Authority from getting straight answers from state agencies.

To address the problems, the commission recommended the Kent County Water Authority connect to the Providence Water Supply Board and develop wells in the Michnock and Big River areas and refine the statute that created the agency to make the organization as efficient as possible.

Statewide regulatory decision making process should be "coordinated and made more efficient and predictable," and economic development decisions should be made with consideration to the current water situation in the area.

The commission also charged the authority to look at spreading costs more fairly among its customers, and reassessing the Big River Reservoir project, which has a $1.8 billion projected price tag and would take nearly 22 years to complete, Lenihan said.

Additionally, both Sullivan and Lenihan expect legislation will be presented to address the problems with water supply across the state during this General Assembly session.

-- Journal staff writer Talia Buford

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 6:51 PM | Permalink

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