Media Release

FOR: Immediate Release
DATE: September 20, 2000
CONTACT: June Swallow, Chief, Office of Drinking Water Quality, 222-6867

Rhode Island Drinking Water Program Among Best in Nation

HEALTH Drinking Water Monitoring Rated Second Most Effective

Providence, September 20, 2000: A national group rated the drinking water program in the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) second best in the country for effectiveness in assuring safe drinking water. The study was conducted by the National Rural Water Association, a national water utility trade association.

HEALTH assures the safety of drinking water in Rhode Island through implementation and enforcement of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The program provides water system licensing, engineering design approval, inspection, sampling, water system operator certification, technical assistance, and training. The study was based on four years of violation records supplied by Rhode Island and other states to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. According to the study, only one other state had a higher compliance rate than Rhode Island.

Dr. Patricia Nolan, Director of Health, states "Safe drinking water is a cornerstone of public health. We are very proud of our ranking in this study. It reflects not only the quality of our state program, but also the professionalism and dedication of public water suppliers in Rhode Island."

The National Rural Water Association (NRWA) is a federation of 45 state rural water associations that represent over 19,000 water and wastewater utilities across America making NRWA the largest utility membership organization in the nation. The top five state programs were:

1. Minnesota 2. Rhode Island 3. California 4. Texas 5. New York

For more information on the NRWA study go to: 
www.ruralwater.org/compliance.htm