The City of Newport’s Water Division announces that the 2015 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is now available on the City’s website at www.cityofnewport.com/ccr15 .

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Safe Drinking Water Act requires water systems to provide this annual report to all its consumers. The requirements for report content, format, and distribution were established by the EPA in the Consumer Confidence Rule, published in the Federal Register on August 19, 1998. The report includes information on the City’s sources of water, quality of the water and the water distribution system.

In an effort to be more environmentally responsible, the Newport Water Division will not be printing and mailing the CCR to water users, unless requested. If someone wishes to receive a printed copy or does not have internet access, please contact the Newport Water Division at (401) 845-5600.

The employees of the Newport Water Division care about the quality of the drinking water we provide. We work hard to provide all of our customers with drinking water that meets or exceeds the safety and quality standards set by the state and federal governments. The Newport Water Division’s goal is to insure the water system will continue to supply a high quality and safe drinking water to all of our customers, now and in the future.

Please contact the Newport Water Division at (401) 845-5600 with any questions. The current and past reports are also available on the City’s website.

See The Report –  www.cityofnewport.com/departments/utilities/water/consumer-confidence-report

About Newport Water

The original water works in Newport was started in 1876. The Newport Water Works Company was incorporated in 1881, and was succeeded by the Newport Water Corporation in 1929. Since 1936, the City of Newport has owned and operated the system. The Newport Water Division is a division within the City of Newport’s Utilities Department and is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the system. Newport Water operates as an enterprise fund and is independent of the overall City budget. Newport Water is licensed by the RI Department of Health as a Public Water Supplier No. 1592010. Newport Water is regulated by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission.

Newport’s Water Supply

Newport Water draws its raw water supply from a system of nine surface reservoirs: North and South Easton Pond, Paradise Pond, Gardiner Pond, St. Mary’s Pond, Sisson Pond, Lawton Valley Reservoir, Nonquit Pond, and Watson Reservoir. These reservoir systems are located in a basin area totaling 18.625 square miles or 11,920 acres of rural, forested and some developed lands. The reservoirs located in Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, Tiverton, and Little Compton are interconnected through a complex network of pipelines and pumping stations. Newport Water has purchased 350 acres of conservation easements to protect raw water quality of the reservoirs.

The water is treated at either Station 1 Plant in Newport or the Lawton Valley Plant in Portsmouth. The combined design capacity of the plants is 16 million gallons of treated water per day.

Newport’s Distribution System

Newport Water’s distribution system consists of water mains of various size, material and age which carry water throughout Newport, Middletown and a portion of Portsmouth to each individual customer. In addition, Newport Water provides water wholesale to the Portsmouth Water and Fire District and the U.S. Navy for distribution within their systems. Newport Water maintains within our system approximately 14,500 services, 170 miles of water main, 3,300 valves and 1,000 hydrants.