Partly treated sewage found running into Blackstone River
(AP) — Environmental officials are urging residents to avoid a stretch of the Blackstone River after finding that sewage was leaking into the river from a wastewater treatment plant on Sunday.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management said it’s investigating the discharge of partly treated wastewater from the Woonsocket Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility. Officials said they were made aware of the discharge Sunday morning and that it is “currently ongoing.”
Residents are being urged to avoid swimming, boating or fishing in the river from Cumberland Hill Road in Woonsocket to the Slater Mill Dam in Pawtucket. The advisory will remain in effect until further notice.
The treatment plant is operated by the private firm Jacobs, and treats about 10 million gallons of sewage a day, according to the department. The agency said it previously issued letters of noncompliance to the facility in November 2021 and March 2022 regarding “operations and maintenance concerns.”
Jacobs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Related News
From Archive
- OSHA issues 16 citations following fatal sewer confined space incident
- 27 pipeline safety violations tied to deadly Pa. chocolate factory explosion
- Contractor gas line strike triggers home explosion in Missouri
- LA recovery reports call for $650 million power line burial, major utility upgrades in Pacific Palisades
- Comprehensive microtrenching FAQ: Key insights on the Vermeer MTR516 microtrencher
- T-Mobile to expand fiber broadband infrastructure footprint with $4.9 billion Metronet acquisition
- First tunnel boring machines complete testing for Hudson Tunnel Project
- NWPX grows water infrastructure portfolio with Colorado precast facility
- Cityside launches $100 million fiber build in Corona, Calif.
- FiberLight to build 1,400-mile West Texas dark fiber network in $350 million expansion

Comments