News Release Page

Request for Proposals and Bids

Portsmouth Water and Fire District will be accepting proposals for Miscellaneous Construction and Repairs to the District's water system for the period March 1, 2012 through February 29, 2013. Proposals will be received by the Portsmouth Water and Fire District at the main office, 1944 East Main Road, P.O. Box 99, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, 02871 until 10:00 AM (EST), Friday, February 10, 2012. Proposal Forms and Specifications are available at the Portsmouth Water and Fire District, 1944 East Main Road, P.O. Box 99, Portsmouth, RI 02871.

 

DATE:	July 22, 2011
FOR RELEASE:	Immediately
CONTACT:	William J. McGlinn, General Manager	683-2090
	Philip T. Driscoll, Chairman	683-3081

The Portsmouth Water and Fire District tested its CodeRED Emergency Communications System on July 15th and 16th. The system made 3,712 calls to presumed District residential customer phone numbers, which were combed from public databases. The system connected with over 92% of those phone numbers by reaching either a person or answering machine.

Philip Driscoll, Chairman of the District’s Administrative Board, said that customers that did not receive a call are likely not in the District CodeRED data base. Mr. Driscoll also noted that the District has over 6,400 water customers and cautioned that the system is only as good as the telephone number database supporting it. Mr. Driscoll said, "If your phone number is not in the database, you will not be called. One of the reasons the CodeRED system was selected is it gives individuals and businesses the ability to add their own phone numbers directly into the system's database, which is an extremely important feature.”

Mr. Driscoll urged all individuals and businesses to log onto the Portsmouth Water and Fire District web site at www.portsmouthwater.org and click on the "CodeRED” logo in the upper right corner of the home page to register phone numbers and email addresses. Those without Internet access may call the Portsmouth Water and Fire District’s main office at (401) 683-2090, Monday through Friday, (9AM-4PM) to supply their information over the phone. Required information includes first and last name, street address (physical address, no P.O. boxes), city, state, zip code, and primary phone number, additional phone numbers can be entered as well.

Any customer that did not receive the test call should register. All businesses should register as they are not included in the original data base. Also, all individuals who have unlisted phone numbers, who have changed their phone number or address within the past year, and those who use a cellular phone or VoIP phone as their primary number should also register.

The CodeRED system will be used by the Water District for emergency notification purposes to inform customers of boil water orders, water use restrictions, disruption of service and other emergencies. In addition, the system will be used to notify customers of scheduled work that may impact them such as water system flushing, scheduled disruption of water service and the like.

Any questions about the CodeRED should be directed to the Portsmouth Water and Fire District main office at 401-683-2090.

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DATE:	July 11, 2011
FOR RELEASE:	Immediately
CONTACT:	William J. McGlinn, General Manager	683-2090
	Philip T. Driscoll, Chairman	683-3081

The Portsmouth Water and Fire District has contracted with Emergency Communications Network to license its CodeRED high-speed notification solution. The CodeRED system provides Water District officials with the ability to quickly deliver messages to targeted areas or the entire water system customer base.

Philip Driscoll, Chairman of the District’s Administrative Board, cautioned that such systems are only as good as the telephone number database supporting them. "If your phone number is not in the database, you will not be called." One of the reasons the CodeRED system was selected is it gives individuals and businesses the ability to add their own phone numbers directly into the system's database, which is an extremely important feature.

The Emergency Communications Network has combed public databases for the land-line phone numbers associated with District service addresses. Water District customers can provide their additional contact information such as additional phone numbers, cell numbers, email addresses and text addresses through the District’s web site.

Mr. Driscoll stated, "CodeRED gives those who want to be included an easy and secure method for inputting information. No one should automatically assume his or her phone number is included," urging all individuals and businesses to log onto the Portsmouth Water and Fire District web site at www.portsmouthwater.org and click on the "CodeRED" logo to register phone numbers and email addresses. Those without Internet access may call the Portsmouth Water and Fire District’s main office at (401) 683-2090, Monday through Friday, (9AM-4PM) to supply their information over the phone. Required information includes first and last name, street address (physical address, no P.O. boxes), city, state, zip code, and primary phone number, additional phone numbers can be entered as well.

All businesses should register, as well as all individuals who have unlisted phone numbers, who have changed their phone number or address within the past year, and those who use a cellular phone or VoIP phone as their primary number.

Mr. Driscoll explained, "CodeRED allows geographically based delivery, which means street addresses are required to ensure emergency notification calls are received by the proper individuals in a given situation. The system works for cell phones too, but we need to have an associated street address to provide relevant messages."

The CodeRED system will be used by the Water District for emergency notification purposes to inform customers of boil water orders, water use restrictions, disruption of service and other emergencies. In addition, the system will be used to notify customers of scheduled work that may impact them such as water system flushing, scheduled disruption of water service and the like.

The District will be testing the CodeRED Emergency Notification System on Friday, July 15th when all known phone numbers associated with District addresses will be called with a test message.

Any questions about the CodeRED should be directed to the Portsmouth Water and Fire District main office at 401-683-2090.

About Emergency Communications Network

Emergency Communications Network Inc. (ECN) provides affordable high-speed notification solutions capable of reaching millions of citizens in minutes. ECN’s sophisticated network supports a web-based product suite featuring CodeRED® which enables local government officials to communicate time-sensitive, personalized messages via voice, email and text.

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DATE:	May 10, 2011
FOR RELEASE:	Immediately
CONTACTS:	Michael W. Nott	Administrative Board Chairman	683-2090
	William J. McGlinn	General Manager and Chief Engineer	683-2090

PORTSMOUTH WATER PASSES ALONG WATER RATE INCREASE

Portsmouth Water and Fire District customers can expect significant water rate increases this year and for the next three years. According to Administrative Board Chairman, Michael W. Nott, the Board voted to increase its water rates by 13.7% for fiscal year 2012, which began on May 1st. Mr. Nott also indicated that the District water rates are projected to increase by an additional 13.7% in each of fiscal years 2013, 2014 and 2015. These increases will help off-set significant wholesale water rate increases from the City of Newport, which are necessary to fund the replacement of the Lawton Valley Water Treatment Plant in Portsmouth and the upgrade of the Station One Water Treatment Plant in Newport. Construction is expected to be completed and the plants activated by the end of 2014.

Mr. Nott indicated that on April 19th, Newport applied to the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission for a wholesale water rate increase of 37.7%, which would take effect in January 2012. In addition, in that application Newport is requesting increases of 21.2% effective July 2012 and 14.0% effective on July 2013. The requested increases are largely necessary to pay for capital expenses and the debt service on the $74 million bonds that will fund the design and construction for the two plants.

Mr. McGlinn, General Manger and Chief Engineer for the District indicated that the treatment plant work is required to enable Newport Water, Portsmouth Water and the Navy to meet current and future requirements of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Since 2000, there have been numerous violations of the act's Disinfectants/Disinfection By-products Rule, specifically for trihalomethanes, or TTHMs, by the three island water suppliers. The rules for the maximum level for TTHMs will become more restrictive starting in 2013, making compliance by the island's water suppliers very unlikely with the current state of the Newport treatment plants. TTHMs, which the EPA classifies as a potential carcinogen, are a by-product formed when chlorine used in water treatment reacts with organic matter in the raw and treated water.

Mr. McGlinn noted that the treatment process at the new Lawton Valley plant will be better able to treat the seasonal variations in the raw water, which have been a cause for taste and odor complaints over the years.

In addition to the increased cost of water purchased from Newport, Mr. Nott said that the current and projected annual increases are necessary to help fund operating costs, capital improvements and future debt service for a $1.5 million radio meter reading system and a replacement of the Union Street Pumping Station. The radio meter reading system will allow the District to switch from annual to quarterly billing, as required by a recent change in state law. Mr. Nott also indicated that a new billing system that will be installed as part of the switch to quarterly billing will allow customers to view their water accounts and make payments on-line or by bank draft. Mr. Nott noted that quarterly water bills and the new billing system will help residential customers to better manage the increasing cost of water. The replacement of the forty-five year-old pumping station is necessary to increase pumping capacity, improve energy efficiency and meet current codes.

At the meeting, the Board approved an operating budget of $2,830,657, which results in an increase over last year's operating budget of 0.15%. The Board approved a total budget of $3,119,187, which includes capital expenses, for an increase over last year's total budget of 2.02%.

Mr. Nott indicated that the Board is working hard to properly maintain and improve the water system, while providing stable, reasonable rates for customers and taxpayers. Mr. Nott also indicated that the Board will continue to ensure that the cost it pays for wholesale water is fair and reasonable by working with Newport Water and intervening in water rate cases before the Public Utilities Commission, as necessary.

The 2011 annual minimum charge for a residential customer with a 5/8" meter will increase from $101.00 to $111.60. The 2011 overage charges per thousand gallons of water will increase from $4.37 to $4.97 for usage between 21,000 and 60,000 gallons, from $5.22 to $5.93 for usage between 61,000 and 100,000 gallons, and from $5.81 to $6.60 for all usage over 100,000 gallons. The new rates are for water used from the spring of 2011 to the spring of 2012.

The annual cost of water for an average residential customer that uses 60,000 gallons will be $310.40, an increase of $34.60. The annual cost for a customer that uses 100,000 gallons will be $547.60, an increase of $63.00.

The District's property tax revenue will remain essentially unchanged, although the tax rate of $0.15 per thousand dollars of assessed value will be adjusted to reflect the Town of Portsmouth's recent property revaluation. In fiscal year 2011, the annual water district property tax was $60.00 for a property assessed at a value of $400,000.

The 2011 annual water bills, which cover water usage from the spring of 2010 to the spring of 2011, will be mailed to customers in mid May, with payments due by July 1.

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Copy to:	Providence Journal
	Newport Daily News
	Fall River Herald News
	Sakonnet Times
	WADK Radio
	Portsmouth Patch

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