RIDOH, Infrastructure Bank to Award Grant To URI For Manganese Vulnerability Study

RHODE ISLAND, January 8 - The Rhode Island Department of Health's (RIDOH) Center for Drinking Water Quality, in coordination with Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank (RIIB), has awarded a $199,856 Emerging Contaminants grant to the University of Rhode Island (URI) to conduct a statewide manganese vulnerability study.

The Manganese Vulnerability Study will evaluate manganese concentrations in drinking water within Rhode Island's public water systems. In partnership with URI, RIDOH will analyze data from 169 systems statewide and collect approximately 1,400 water samples to identify areas with elevated manganese levels and fill existing data gaps. This comprehensive analysis will provide a clearer understanding of manganese occurrence and distribution throughout Rhode Island's drinking water infrastructure.

"Work to ensure safe and healthy drinking water for all Rhode Islanders is a core focus for the Rhode Island Department of Health," said Director of Health Jerome Larkin, MD. "This Manganese Vulnerability Study being conducted with our partners at the University of Rhode Island will help us better understand where communities may be at risk and how these contaminants move through drinking water systems. The findings will support our ongoing collaboration with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and RIIB as we work to address and minimize the impacts of Emerging Contaminants, like manganese, in drinking water."

"Recent research has highlighted potential health risks associated with elevated manganese levels and that is why we are pleased to award this Emerging Contaminants grant to URI to conduct a statewide assessment of manganese levels in public drinking water systems," said Infrastructure Bank Executive Director Bill Fazioli. "Working in coordination with RIDOH, this study will provide critical insight into the occurrence and distribution of manganese, support the development of advanced treatment strategies, and offer guidance to drinking water systems most impacted."

"Manganese can be a challenging issue for water systems, particularly smaller systems with limited resources," said URI Civil and Environmental Engineering Associate Professor Joseph Goodwill, PhD, PE "As Rhode Island's university, URI has a responsibility to apply research and technical expertise to problems that directly affect our state, and this study will provide data and insights through a partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Health that will help communities better understand and manage manganese in their water."

RIIB is the State's central hub for financing infrastructure improvements for municipalities, businesses, and homeowners.