Woonsocket Water Public Notice Response
Veolia has been asked to clarify the public notice that was sent out in regards to the missed samples at the drinking water plant.
Veolia currently manages the drinking water treatment plant, and managed the transition from the old Manville Road water plant to the new Jillson Avenue water plant in July of 2021.
When the new water plant came online in July 2021, there were several updates to reporting criteria from the Rhode Island State Department of Health. Part of these changes were an update to the sampling schedule, meaning what samples to collect and how often they needed to be collected.
At the former Manville Road plant, Veolia had been operating a State-certified laboratory to collect and run water samples for compliance. As part of the newly constructed facility, a brand new laboratory was constructed for the same purpose. Upon requesting State certification for that new laboratory, there was an approximately 3-week time period when the existing Manville Road facility’s State-certified laboratory certification expired for certain parameters, and some parts of the new laboratory certification were delayed in their approval. During this time we continued to analyze all samples that we had previously run. After over a year and a half, RIDOH is still in the process of approving some additional aspects of our sampling schedule, including sample site approval.
Because of this three-week certification gap, RIDOH required 22 samples to be designated as “missed”. Nevertheless, these samples had been collected and analyzed in our laboratory, following proper protocol and methods, and had been found to be within acceptable parameter limits. The reporting period for that specific rule, which included these 22 samples, is every six months. Consequently, we are considered non compliant over that entire six-month period. However, during this time we continued to sample and analyze thousands of required samples, all of which were all in total compliance with RIDOH rules and regulations. All samples were found to be within state approved parameter limits.
The lab is currently State certified for 11 specific parameters, that are all run daily, 365 days a year, and are monitored 24/7 by qualified, certified, onsite personnel.
This oversight was discovered by our own staff during a self audit conducted in February of 2022. Upon this self discovery, the plant management self-reported the issue to the RIDOH. RIDOH subsequently issued a Tier 3 (administrative in nature) Notice of Violation on April 5, 2022, This type of non-water quality NOV requires a Public Notice to all water customers of the issue within one year. Twenty thousand mailers were created and paid for in full by Veolia, and sent out to all of our water customers.
Veolia took the opportunity in February 2022 to confirm that our entire sampling schedule is 100% compliant with the current state requirements, which do change regularly.
The public notice that was sent out used prescribed language that is required by the Rhode Island Department of Health. This violation is classified as a Tier 3 violation, which is an administrative violation:
EPA definition of a Tier 3 Violation - Notify within one year of the violation. When water systems violate a drinking water standard that does not have a direct impact on human health (for example, failing to take a required sample on time) the water supplier has up to one year to provide a notice of this situation to its customers. The extra time gives water suppliers the opportunity to consolidate these notices and send them with annual water quality reports (consumer confidence reports). At no time was the quality of the water in question, nor did we receive results that the drinking water was outside acceptable limits. If there had been any questions affecting health or public safety, all customers would have been notified immediately. As part of its normal duties, the new facility currently collects and analyzes water samples daily in house and is certified to do so. In a given week we process close to 1,000 samples for many different tests.
Questions can be directed to Veolia North America: Christopher Halleron Manager, Communications & Community Relations
(201) 892-8043
christopher.halleron@veolia.com