Allison BarnetteRhode Island Infrastructure Bank has closed a $26.3 million loan with Providence Water to help provide new lead-free service lines at no cost to customers.
The loan, created in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Health, includes nearly half the funds as grants—leaving only $13.5 million to be repaid.
Replacing lead pipes in Providence and nationwide has become a critical health concern. In the early 1900s, many municipalities required lead pipes, promoted for their durability. The 2016 Flint, Michigan, water crisis, which revealed elevated lead levels in children’s blood, exposed the dangers and led to national action.
About 9 million lead service lines still exist across the U.S., according to 2024 estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Providence Water, which serves 600,000 wholesale and 75,000 retail customers, has already replaced 3,000 lead service lines. This marks the second loan the Infrastructure Bank has provided through Providence Water’s Accelerated Lead Service Line Replacement Program.
The new funding will enable the replacement of service lines for hundreds of customers and support the utility’s motto: “Lead free is the way to be.”
Photo by Luis Tosta on Unsplash
