Woonsocket Radio News Room

Office of the Mayor
WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND 

Mayor Baldelli-Hunt Announces $775K Federal Award for
Fire Hydrant Painting and Water Service Lead Line Removal


WOONSOCKET, R.I.: Woonsocket Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt today announced that the City of Woonsocket has been awarded $775K from the Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) Program to be used for lead remediation and repainting of 1,952 fire hydrants across the City, and for the removal of City owned, lead water service lines. The Mayor applauded the support that the City received from United States Senators Whitehouse and Reed to bring the award to fruition, as well as the work done by the City’s Planning Department in submitting a successful award application. The Mayor also indicated that this award would replace the City’s commitment to use $541K in ARPA funds for remediating and repainting the fire hydrants, freeing up those funds for other important City projects.
Mayor Baldelli-Hunt stated, “I am incredibly grateful to receive this award so that our City can remove lead contaminants from our fire hydrants and waterlines, making our City safer for our children, adults, and pets. Lead removal has been a high priority of my Administration, and we have worked hard to obtain multiple Federal grants to help us do so.” The Mayor added, “Not only will remediating our fire hydrants from lead and other contaminants contribute to better public health, but because we will also be repainting and reconditioning them, we will enhance public safety and make them more appealing to look at.”
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse stated, “Every single child deserves to grow up with safe drinking water at home and a neighborhood free of lead hazards that can cause tragic lifelong effects. With this federal award that Senator Reed and I secured, Woonsocket will finally have the resources to get rid of lurking sources of lead contamination once and for all. I applaud Mayor Baldelli-Hunt, who has been a strong advocate for the health and safety of the community,” said Whitehouse, who filed Rhode Island’s first lawsuit against lead paint manufacturers during his tenure as the state’s attorney general.
The City expects that the projects to remediate, repaint and recondition fire hydrants, and replace lead water service lines will be ongoing throughout the summer and fall.

 

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