The Narragansett Bay Commission in Providence, R.I., has been approved for a $55 million loan from the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act.
This is the third WIFA loan for the Commission and will offer funding for upgrades to "increase climate resiliency and cybersecurity at one of the nation's oldest wastewater facilities," the EPA said in a July 27 news release.
"Water is essential, and resilient wastewater infrastructure ensures that we can count on the pumps and pipes that safely return used water to the environment,” EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox said in the release. "The Field's Point Wastewater Facilities are among the oldest in the country, and I am so pleased that the Narragansett Bay Commission is using its WIFIA loan to protect the system from vulnerabilities due to extreme weather events as well as cybersecurity threats."
"The Narragansett Bay Commission is so gratified to again participate in the WIFIA program,” Commission Chairman Vincent Mesolella said, according to the release. “We are tremendously excited to continue our work to build a resilient clean water future for our ratepayers and all Rhode Islanders.”
The wastewater facilities have been in continuous use for more than a century, EPA said in the release.
"EPA’s WIFIA loan will help the Narragansett Bay Commission ensure the reliable operation of these facilities by making them more resilient to increasing extreme weather events in the northeast and potential cybersecurity attacks," the news release said.
The project includes replacing the odor control system and improving the disinfection and de-chlorination systems, the release reported.
"Additionally, the project will support the installation of a solar carport at Field’s Point that will help power the wastewater treatment plant," the agency said, according to the release.
