Next Tuesday, April 9, a stretch of Wapping Road in Portsmouth between Bramans Lane and Old Mill Lane will be closed for water main work, according to a release from the Portsmouth Water and Fire District (PWFD).

Says the PWFD: "Motorists are advised that construction vehicles will be entering and leaving the area. It is expected that traffic will be impacted from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternative routes."

Editorial note: Written from a press release.

The Portsmouth Water and Fire District (PWFD) issued an advisory about water main work on Wednesday, September 12 in the area of 273 Bristol Ferry Road and 524 Bristol Ferry Road. Two lanes of Bristol Ferry Road will be closed for the work, with both north and southbound traffic reduced to one lane in each direction.

Construction vehicles will be entering and leaving the area, and It is expected that traffic will be
impacted from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternative routes.

Editorial note: Written from a press release.

You'll want to avoid the upper end of East Main Road in Portsmouth if possible today, as lane reductions are in place between Sprague St. and Park Ave for construction. According to a release from the Portsmouth Water and Fire District (PWFD) the work is on a water main in the right-hand southbound lane of East Main, but it will affect traffic in both directions from 7am to 8pm.

There were plenty of construction vehicles moving around the area when I went through this morning, so I can personally vouch for the PWFD's suggestion to seek alternate routes.

Editorial note: Written from a press release.

Guy Polselli receives plaque from Phil Driscoll. Photo courtesy of PWFD.

The Portsmouth Water and Fire District (PWFD) recently recognized former board member Guy Polselli for his 25 years of service as an elected member. Polselli, who chose not to seek another term in last month's election, was presented with a plaque from the PWFD and the New England Waterworks Association honoring his contributions.

The plaque, presented by PWFD Board Chair Phil Driscoll read, in part, "He worked diligently during nine elected terms as the Tax Collector and member of the Administrative Board, serving one year as Board Chairman. From his service on the Administrative Board to his leadership as Chairman of the Engineering Subcommittee, he gave freely of his time and expertise for the benefit of the District."

After receiving the plaque, Mr. Polselli thanked the Board and District staff for the pleasure of working with them over his tenure. He also thanked the District’s constituents who supported him during the past twenty-five years. Mr. Polselli’s wife Maureen, their five children, and a number of grandchildren were in attendance to witness the presentation.

Editorial note: Written from a press release, but also, from the heart. Guy is one of those folks whose contributions to this town may not be highly visible, but there is not a person who has not benefited from his diligent, thoughtful service to our community. Thank you, Guy.

The Portsmouth Water and Fire District (PWFD) voted this week to give customers a one-month grace period for paying annual water bills due July 1, the district announced today.

According to a release, PWFD board chair Phil Driscoll indicated that the district has historically given a 15-day grace period for the annual payments, but felt a full month would be more appropriate given the slow economy and the higher water overage charges due to last year’s water rate increase. Driscoll noted that moving the grace period to the end of the monthly billing cycle will also improve the efficiency of processing of late charges.

Driscoll said that with the new meter reading system currently being installed and a planned billing software upgrade, the Board expects to switch to quarterly billing for all customers in the spring of 2013, which should make payments more manageable.

Annual water bills will now be due by 4 p.m. on August 1 to avoid a late charge or interest charge.

Editorial note: Written from a press release.

With just 185 votes cast, the ratepayers of the Portsmouth Water and Fire District (PWFD) elected Ted Czech and Michael Nott as Tax Assesors and Fred Faerber to the position of Tax Collector, according to results of yesterday's election reported by the district.

Faerber had 158 votes in his race, and Czech (150) and Nott (153) both won easily.

The PWFD comprises 12,425 eligible voters.

Editorial note: Written from a press release.

On June 11, the Portsmouth Water and Fire District (PWFD) signed a special "green" $1.3M bond loan with the RI Clean Water Finance Agency (RICWFA) to fund an upgrade to a new town-wide wireless metering system, the PWFD said in a release.

According to Phil Driscoll, chair of the PWFD Board, the bond includes 100% principal forgiveness, which means that the District will not have to pay any interest or repay any of the principal on the ten-year bond. On behalf of the PWFD Board and ratepayers, Driscoll recognized and thanked the Agency executive director, Anthony Simeone for his efforts to help secure this special “green” financing.

The project includes the installation of about two dozen radio collectors and repeaters around town, swapping out 6,500 of the existing meter touch pads on buildings for radio transmitting units, replacing 1,300 meters, and implementing a new leak detection system.

RICWFA provides low-interest loans to improve water quality in the state, and is funding the project out of a 2010 Federal Capitalization Grant, which contained certain requirements for “Green” projects and principal forgiveness. The agency offers principal forgiveness for qualifying projects to help water suppliers meet the “Green” requirement, and determined that the PWFD plan met the critera for 100% principal forgiveness.

Editorial note: Written from a press release. BTW — don't forget to vote in the PWFD elections tomorrow!

Next Wednesday, June 13, voters in the Portsmouth Water and Fire District (PWFD) will go to the polls to elect two Tax Assessors and one Tax collector for three-year terms on the administrative board. Voting takes place at the PWFD office at 1944 East Main Rd from 7am to 8pm — and remember, as now required by state law, you'll need some ID when you vote.

Incumbent Ted Czech and Michael Nott are running for Tax Assessor, and Fred Faerber is running for the Tax Collector’s seat.

This might seem like a low-impact election, but I'd urge you to get out and vote. With win numbers in the 400-500 range, this is the kind of contest where a dedicated group of wingnuts [cough PCC cough] could easily mount a surprise write-in campaign. In fact, the PWFD saw one of the few write-in victories in Portsmouth history back in the 90s, if my sources are correct.

Don't worry, I'll remind you again as we get closer to next Wednesday. But please, mark it on your calendar.

The Portsmouth Water and Fire District (PWFD) announced today that customers will not see tax or rate increases during the next year, according to a release sent to media this afternoon. A one-year delay in the expected increase in the cost of water from Newport factored into the decision, the PWFD said.

The PWFD had increased the tax rate by three cents per thousand laast year to compensate for the drop in assessed values resulting from the Town's 2010 revaluation. Board chair Phil Driscoll said in the statement that the District’s tax rate in fiscal year 2013 will remain unchanged at $0.18 per thousand dollars of assessed property value.

Despite the good news about this year’s rates, Driscoll cautioned customers that rates are projected to increase by an average of 16.75% for three fiscal years starting in FY-2014 based on current information. These increases will be needed, the PWFD said, to offset wholesale rate increases from the City of Newport, needed to fund the replacement of the Lawton Valley Water Treatment Plant in Portsmouth and an upgrade to the Station One Water Treatment Plant in Newport.

Mr. Driscoll indicated that Newport Water received approval from the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission for the water rate increases necessary to fund the $85 million water treatment plant improvements, an effort that Portsmouth Water has supported.

PWFD General Manger and Chief Engineer William McGlinn said that the treatment plant improvements are required to allow Portsmouth Water, the Navy, and Newport Water to meet new Federal water quality standards, in particular, a reduction on the level of trihalomethanes (TTHMs). The three island water suppliers have been in violation of the TTHM standard at various times over the last twelve years under current Federal standards, which are less stringent than the new standards. TTHMs, which the EPA classifies as a potential carcinogen, are a byproduct formed when the chlorine used in water treatment reacts with organic matter. McGlinn added that the new treatment processes should also do a better job at removing compounds which cause taste and odor, and also enable the three water systems to meet future EPA regulations.

On another note, Driscoll announced that the District’s $1.3 million radio meter-reading project, known as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), will be funded through the Rhode Island Clean Water Finance Agency and has been approved as a “green” project eligible for 100% principal forgiveness. Other than upfront bonding costs and fees, the project will not cost the District rate-payers any money, according to Driscoll. This project will allow the District to read water meters on an hourly basis through radio transmissions that are transmitted via the Internet. The meter reading data will allow the District to better track water demand and spot potential leakage.

The AMI project will include a new billing system that will enable the District to bill all customers on a quarterly basis beginning in the spring of 2013. The new billing system will also allow customers to view their water accounts and make payments on-line by bank draft or credit card. Driscoll noted that quarterly water bills and the new billing system should help customers better manage the increasing cost of water.

Editorial note: Written from a press release.

Portsmouth residents will see some temporary water discoloration next week as the Water and Fire District (PWFD) performs their annual flushing, according to an e-mail sent to media today. The flushing will proceed in each neighborhood from 8pm to 6am, and may cause water discoloration and low water pressure. The PWFD advises against washing clothes or drawing hot water during the scheduled operation.

May 14 East Main Road and Middle Road from Crossings Court to Hedly Street. Hedly Street and all side streets, including Industrial Park. Corys Lane and all side streets. Kings Grant and all side streets. West Main Road from Hedly Street to Union Street, including Father Flanagan’s and John Street.

May 15 Middle Road and all side streets to the west, Mill Lane and all side streets, West Passage Drive to Locust Avenue, Stonegate Drive, Greylock Drive, and Greystone Terrace area.

May 16 East Main Road to Middle Road, from Town Hall to Union Street.

May 21 East Main Road from Sherwood Terrace Vanderbilt Lane, east to the Sakonnet River, Union Street, Jepson Lane, and all side streets.

May 22 East Main Road from Lawrence Farms to Sherwood Terrace. Vanderbilt Lane to Sandy Point Avenue and all side streets.

May 23 East Main Road from Union Street to Mitchell Lane and side streets, Oakland Farms, Bramans Lane east to Meadow Lark Lane. Sandy Point Avenue and Sandy Point Farms.

May 24 Wapping Road to Old Mill Lane. Bramans Lane and side streets. Old Mill Lane, Indian Avenue and side streets.

Editorial note: Written from a news release.