Chapter 092
2021 -- S 0655 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 07/01/2021

A N   A C T
RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- BRISTOL COUNTY WATER SUPPLY

Introduced By: Senators Coyne, Seveney, and Felag

Date Introduced: March 18, 2021

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 46-15.5-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-15.5 entitled "Bristol
County Water Supply" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     46-15.5-2. Legislative declaration.
     Recognizing the importance of protecting, maintaining and utilizing all sources of potable
water and recognizing that with the continued demands on the Scituate Reservoir, the existing
Bristol County water supplies will remain an important source of water for Bristol County in the
future (there being no other logical recipient of this water), it is the intent of the legislature that the
existing sources, transmission lines and treatment facilities be maintained and/or upgraded to
conform to federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards, 42 U.S.C. ยง 300f et seq., irrespective of
whether ownership and control is maintained by the Bristol County water authority or is turned
over to the state water resources board or its successor. Accordingly, this general assembly hereby
finds and declares that:
     (1) The citizens of Bristol County lack an adequate and secure supply of potable water;
     (2) Heretofore acting through the Bristol County water authority, the citizens of Bristol
County have presented a proposal for the construction to bring water from the Scituate Reservoir
to Bristol County;
     (3) The state and its citizens would be better served and the environment enhanced by the
construction of an additional connection connecting Bristol County to the Scituate Reservoir; and
     (4) The need for water in Bristol County is critical and requires immediate and prompt
action on the part of the state, its agencies, boards and commissions. ;
     (5) Bristol County will require an alternate source of supply in order to construct the
improvements to its existing system of reservoirs, wells, and treatment plants,
     (6) The alternatives authorized by this chapter will be less expensive than the East
Providence connection, so-called, ; and
     (7) Reliance by citizens of East Providence and Bristol County on a single connection
would create a hazard to the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of East Providence and
Bristol County, and, therefore, the construction of an emergency connection which that shall
permit water to flow in either direction is a public necessity.
     (8) The state is mandated to upgrade the current Bristol County water system of reservoirs,
wells, treatment plant, and transmission lines, with the first priority being given to the construction
of a new raw water transmission line.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC002435/SUB A
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