About Newport Water

The original water works in Newport started in 1876. The Newport Water Works Company was incorporated in 1881, and was succeeded by the Newport Water Corporation in 1929. Since 1936, the City of Newport has owned and operated the system. The City's legal authority to own and operate the system is stated in the City Charter and was established through RIGL 46-13-12.1.

The Newport Water Division is a division of the City of Newport's Department of Utilities and is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the system. The NWD operates as an enterprise fund and is responsible for its own financial accounting independent of the overall City budget. Newport Water is regulated by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission.

Newport Water draws its water supply from nine surface reservoirs. The raw water is treated at one of the two water treatment facilities - Station 1 Plant in Newport or Lawton Valley Plant in Portsmouth. Newport Water maintains a distribution system which services Newport, Middletown and a small section of Portsmouth. In addition, Newport Water provides water wholesale to the Portsmouth Water & Fire District and Naval Station Newport.

Newport Water is required to conform with all requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The Rhode Island Department of Health and the USEPA ensure that we comply with the SDWA so that the water we supply is safe. We at Newport Water work around the clock to provide top quality drinking water to our customers.

General Water Rate Filing- Docket #3818

On January 29, 2007 the Newport Water Division filed with the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (RIPUC) an application to increase rates charged to our customers. The Water Division requested a 15% increase in revenue. The hearings were held on July 24 and 25, 2007 before the Commission of Public Utilities and Carriers on the request. On August 30, 2007 the PUC issued its decision on the Water Division's requested rate increase.

The PUC's decision, effective September 1, 2007, allows for an 11.34% increase in revenue. The result of this increase is that Newport water's retail rate of $4.07 per 1000 gallons increased to $4.54 per 1000 gallons. Also in the PUC decision Newport Water was ordered to move to quarterly billing for its residential customers.

The Newport Water Division works very hard to provide a safe and sufficient water supply to all our customers. We are aware that any rate increase is a concern to our customers. However, the Newport Water Division requests the rate increase in order to continue our work with ongoing system maintenance and capital improvements so that we can assure a safe drinking water supply not only now but into the future.

The following links provide Newport Water's current Rate Schedule and information filed with the PUC.

Rate Schedule- Effective September 1, 2007