CUMBERLAND — Twelve days after a sewage leak at the Woonsocket Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced Friday that it is lifting a no-contact advisory that asked residents to stay out of the water.
The DEM had warned residents to avoid water sports, such as swimming, fishing, and boating while the advisory was in effect on the Blackstone River, from 11 Cumberland Road in Woonsocket to Slater Mill Dam in Pawtucket.
Woonsocket owns the plant but contracts with Jacobs, a Texas-based consulting and engineering firm, for its day-to-day operations, and Baltimore-based Synagro Technologies Inc. for sludge treatment systems at the facility. DEM issued its no-contact advisories after Jacobs notified the state that the treatment process had been disrupted and solid waste was no longer being separated before waste water was discharged. It’s unknown how much waste water was released into the river but DEM says that the plant filters more six to eight million gallons of wastewater each day.
DEM required the city and its vendors to increase sampling and testing in the Blackstone River upstream and downstream of the facility to monitor impacts on the environment. Woonsocket could face fines up to $25,000 a day for each day of the advisory.
“It’s been an active investigation since the start,” R.I. DEM spokesman Jay Wegimont told the Globe Friday. “I would say that there are normally penalties when assessing these kinds of things. They have been working every day on this, testing multiple times a day, making sure the river is safe, and continuing the investigation to find out what needs to be assessed.”
According to a DEM news release, the city and its contractors installed additional solids-removal equipment. The waste water facility made other improvements that have resulted in the facility consistently meeting its permit limits for the past few days. The improved water quality readings led DEM to lift the no-contact advisory effective immediately.
Wegimont said newly installed equipment will allow the plant to remain in compliance, and DEM is observing steps taken by the city and its vendors to ensure they remain in permit compliance.
“There will be a follow-up investigation,” he said.
John Marsland, president of Blackstone River Watershed Council and Friends of the Blackstone, which represents the environmental interests of the Blackstone River and its watershed, says he is elated the river has reopened for recreation. They have a number of events planned this summer, including an invasive water chestnut pull next weekend.
But, he said Friday, he’s worried that the recent condition of the river could affect volunteer turnout for the vital event.
“I don’t know how many people are going to show up because of the advisory, if they knew about it, or if it will discourage them,” Marsland said. “It’s only a week away. Whoever shows up we’ll be happy with whoever is there.”
Marsland said the city director of surface water told local water quality partners that the advisory was lifted after the waste water plant had been running well for a week.
“The water passed its requirements for a week and that satisfied them,” Marsland said. “But it doesn’t solve the long-term issue.”
Carlos Muñoz can be reached at carlos.munoz@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @ReadCarlos and on Instagram @Carlosbrknews.
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