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The Newport Water Division (NWD) system draws it raw water supply from a complex system of nine surface reservoirs having a wide range in quality that can change quickly. A network of pipelines and pumping stations interconnect the reservoirs. Two of the reservoirs are located on the mainland and seven are located on Aquidneck Island. The NWD system includes two water treatment plants: Station 1 with the capacity of producing 9 million gallons per day (MGD) located in Newport and Lawton Valley with the capacity of producing 6 MGD located in Portsmouth. The NWD provides retail water service to the Newport, Middletown, and a small section of Portsmouth. The NWD provides wholesale water service to Naval Station Newport and the Portsmouth Water & Fire District.
Construction of substantial improvements to the water treatment facilities began in 2012 with completion in 2014. The improvements included the replacement of the former 1942 Lawton Valley Plant with a new plant. The Station 1 plant which went into service in 1991 was extensively upgraded. The treatment processes at both plants were developed to mirror each other in order to allow for the interchange of operators and standardization of chemicals and equipment. The updated processes include a core treatment process of dissolved air flotation (DAF), followed by primary granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration, and finally post-filter advanced water treatment contactors with GAC that can be used to enhance treatment on a seasonal basis. The GAC contactors provide an additional benefit of addressing taste and odor associated with summer algae blooms that occur in the raw water supply reservoirs. At both plants, chlorine dioxide is used for preoxidation, polyaluminum chloride is used for coagulation, sodium hypochlorite is used for disinfection, and sodium hydroxide is used for pH adjustment. The water is also fluoridated. The new water treatment facilities are robust and provide the necessary tools for the Water Treatment Operators to provide reliably water that meets and/or exceeds the drinking water standards.