Our Customers

The Providence Water Supply Board sells water to 73,800 retail customer connections including houses and businesses in Providence, Johnston, North Providence and Cranston and to 9 wholesale communities serving a number of additional municipalities within the State. Providence Water presently supplies approximately 60 percent of the state's drinking water. Of the water produced, 36 percent is supplied to the residents of Providence, 22 percent to the retail districts outside of Providence, and 42 percent goes to the wholesale water districts.

Finished water is transmitted from the clearwell to the distribution system through two major transmission lines. The 90-inch diameter Scituate Tunnel and Aqueduct transports water from the clearwell to the distribution system in an easterly direction, generally along a route that parallels Route 12, ending at the siphon chamber near Interstate 295. From the siphon chamber the transmission line splits into two lines, a 60-inch diameter concrete conduit, and a 66-inch diameter steel pipeline. The 60-inch line continues to feed the Neutaconkanut and Bath Street Pumping Stations and the Neutaconkanut Distribution Storage Reservoir. The 66-inch line continues to the general area of Budlong Road in Cranston from where further distribution begins. The second major transmission line is the Supplemental Tunnel and Aqueduct which starts at 78 inches in diameter an transports water in a southeasterly direction through the northern section of West Warwick to the existing connection and the former Big River Reservoir development. At this point, the transmission line expands to 102 inches in diameter and turns northerly to terminate in the general area of Budlong Road in Cranston where further distribution begins. The capacity of the 90-inch line is 100 MGD and the capacity of the 78 inch lines is 77 MGD. The 78 inch line flows into the 102 inch line.

The retail distribution system is serviced by three separate pressure zones. The Low Service Area maintains pressures of between 37 and 98 PSI at the consumer tap and serves areas with elevations of between 0-140 ft above sea level. This zone delivers approximately 71.5 % of the total retail water. The High Service Area supplies consumers at elevations of 140-220 ft above sea level with pressures ranging from 36 to 71 PSI. The Extra High Service Area services those customers above 220 ft with pressures between 36 and 77 PSI.

Demand Management

Conservation measures are needed, particularly in times of drought. In 1994, Providence Water approved a voluntary odd-even conservation plan for lawn-watering during periods of inadequate rainfall. In addition, Providence Water encourages all of its customers to adhere to this practice annually.

Teaching Conservation

The objective of the PWSB in teaching conservation is to provide information and educational opportunities to watershed residents in order to reduce non-point source pollution loading to the Scituate Reservoir.

This objective is achieved via the following:

1. make presentations in all elementary schools
2. offer a national watershed protection curriculum to middle school teachers
3. hold annual poster contests for grades 3 - 8
4. offer workshops for homeowners
5. provide new homeowners with a "welcome wagon" package of information
6. increase media coverage for pertinent events
7. offer training to municipal officials in watershed protection
8. publish and distribute a newsletter for business owners

In 1993, the PWSB initiated a campaign to encourage consumers not to take clean drinking water for granted. To educate customers, inserts into quarterly water bills showed simple water-saving techniques that anyone could use in the bathroom, kitchen and around the yard. Free water-saving devices started to be distributed to customers in 1989, so people could retrofit their own plumbing system. Historically, Providence Water has offered tours to various schools and civic groups wanting to learn more about their water supply. Since 1994, roughly 30,000 watershed residents have benefited from this program. The increased interest is, without a doubt, due to a greater awareness of the importance of environmental issues, water quality, and conservation.

Rapid sand filter gallery,
PJ Holton Purification Plant, Scituate

Capital Improvements

Subsequent to its original construction in the 1920s,Providence Water undertook expansion and capital improvement programs in the 1940s and again in the '60s and early '70s. Since that time, however, no significant improvements or upgrades were made to the system. This led to a deteriorating condition whereby today the system is in need of major replacements and improvements  to many of its critical facilities, in order to be able to continue  to provide the safe and reliable  water supply customers have all come to expect.

Providence Water's new management team has worked  on developing, and is currently implementing capital improvement and pro-active infrastructure replacement programs.