Riverdale Wtaer Company is Northbridge's nearest source of ultra-pure water. This is the presentation shown to the Northbridge Board of Selectmen outlining Riverdale Water Company's proposal to supply water tot he town.
2. Why Are We Here?
Riverdale Water
Company (RWC) is
seeking a contract to
supply the Town of
Northbridge with high-
quality, affordable water
through the Northbridge-
owned distribution
system.
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3. About Riverdale Water Company
Northbridge-based Riverdale Water Company, LLC was formed in
2003 to engage in the distribution and sale of water for drinking,
domestic and industrial purposes, and the protection against fire in
within the Town of Northbridge
Riverdale Water Company was founded in 2000 with the purchase
of a 47-acre parcel located off Quaker St.
RWC drilled many exploratory wells until it found a location where
excellent aquifer material was protected by an overlying clay layer
RWC currently sells water to bulk water haulers who use it for
swimming pools and cooling water for power plants
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4. Town of Northbridge: Current Situation
Excessive levels of iron in
the brain have been linked
Two Piping Systems
Whitinsville Water Company (WWC) to Alzheimer's and
owned and Town of Northbridge owned Parkinson’s disease
2,234 households are served by the
Northbridge system
Northbridge’s Current Water Supply, provided by
WWC, Contains Levels of Iron and Manganese
That Sometimes Exceed The National Secondary
Maximum Contaminant Levels
Undesirable aesthetics
Damage to water handling equipment
WWC’s supply, influenced by surface water, must
be treated, driving up cost for Northbridge
residents
WWC, in a report to the Department of
Public Utilities projected the construction Certain populations should
cost of the now operational water not ingest more than 0.3
treatment plant to be $5.9 M mg/L of manganese for
greater than 10 consecutive
days
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5. Town of Northbridge: Current Situation
No Secondary Source of Water in Case of Emergency
Wasting Water
30% of water pumped through the Northbridge system is being
wasted because of leaking, inefficient water pipes
One of the highest unaccounted-for-water percentage in the
state
MassDep recommends that unaccounted-for-water should be
10% or lower
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6. Solution: It’s All About the Water
RWC has developed, permitted and constructed a new source of water
at no capital cost to Northbridge
More than $1.1 M has been spent to develop the source and
build a pumping station
Since our last meeting…
Completed two pumping wells
Built a pumping station that will be operable in March
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7. Solution: It’s All About the Water
RWC’s source is unique as it has no iron
or manganese
The concentration of iron found
in WWC’s water supply ranges
from 0-2 mg/L and the
concentration for manganese
ranges from 0-0.36 mg/L
RWC’s aquifer, at 90 to 124 feet below
ground, is protected by a thick layer of
silt and clay, ensuring no surface water
is able to cause contamination
RWC has the ability to supply 277 million
gallons per year
Town purchased 191 million
gallons wholesale from WWC in
2009
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8. Why Is This Important to Northbridge?
Health
Residents of Northbridge will receive healthy, quality water free of iron and
manganese
Aesthetics
Northbridge’s water supply will not cause damage to property coming into
contact with water
Emergency Preparedness
With a secondary supplier such as RWC, Northbridge will be prepared in
case of drought or other emergencies
RWC will be ready to supply water in April (pending permit approval) as
drought-season approaches
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9. Why Is This Important to Northbridge?
Economic
Leaking, inefficient pipes will be replaced as RWC stands ready to
apply for Federal and/or State grants to upgrade pipes
By conserving water, excess water would be available to sell to
adjacent towns, generating revenue for Northbridge
Estimated $150,000 to $260,000 in revenue based on water
saved by repaired pipes
Potential reduction in water costs for residents and businesses
connected to Northbridge pipes
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10. Next Steps
Receive Letter of Intent From Board of Selectmen
to Prove RWC’s Customer Base
Secure State Permit to Expand Approved Pumping Volume From 0.138 million
gallons per day to 0.76 million gallons per day
Northbridge Contract with RWC to Supply Water to the Customers of the
Northbridge Distribution System (up to 277 million gallons per year)
RWC to Apply for Federal and/or State Grants to Detect and Repair Leaks in Pipes
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