U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner said Thursday that the House of Representatives passed $1,779,996 in federal funding to help the cities of Cranston and Westerly improve their water systems and prevent flooding.
The funding was approved as part of a broader effort to fund environmental cleanup and resiliency measures across Rhode Island, Magaziner said. This community project funding will go toward flood mitigation efforts in Cranston and sewer upgrades in Westerly that will reduce pollutants entering waterways and increase water quality for residents.
Cranston will receive the bulk of the funding, $1,105,800, which will be used to install rain gardens and other stormwater management measures on Garden Street, a street that is prone to flooding. Westerly will receive $674,196 to reline sewer pipes to protect the Pawcatuck River and its tributaries from being exposed to untreated effluent.
The Garden Street Flood Mitigation Project in Cranston reflects the city’s commitment to proactive disaster preparedness, aiming to create a safer and more resilient community for all residents, as stated by Mayor Ken Hopkins. Meanwhile, in Westerly, the Town Utilities Division is working on rehabilitating the entire sewer infrastructure, with 7,600 ft of sewer main and approximately 30 manhole structures in need of relining. Thanks to federal funding secured by Rep. Magaziner, Westerly will be able to continue its sewer relining program, benefiting the entire community.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
