214
Miles of Distribution Mains
15,300
Number of Services
1312
Number of Hydrants
3565
Number of Valves
Newport water division
The Newport Water Division (NWD) operates, maintains, and upgrades the drinking water system that serves nearly all of Aquidneck Island. Our system directly supplies customers in the City of Newport, the Town of Middletown, and a small part of the Town of Portsmouth, as well as providing water to the Portsmouth Water & Fire District and Naval Station Newport. Originally established in 1876, today our water system includes an extensive network of distribution pipes, reservoirs, treatment plants, clearwells, valves, and fire hydrants.
Why The Water System Matters
A reliable drinking water system is vital to public health, safety, and overall quality of life. It ensures clean, safe water is always available for drinking, cooking, bathing, cleaning, and firefighting, fundamental needs that protect and sustain our community every day. Here’s how the water system supports our community:
Protecting Public Health
Our system safely collects, treats, and delivers clean water, helping to prevent the spread of waterborne illnesses and safeguard the health of residents.
Supporting Daily Life
From drinking and cooking to bathing and cleaning, the water system provides the dependable water supply that powers everyday activities.
Ensuring Public Safety
By supplying water for firefighting and emergency responders, our system is a critical resource for protecting lives and property.
Promoting Economic Stability
Reliable water service supports homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses, helping to maintain a stable and thriving local economy.
Due to the criticality of the system in our everyday lives, it’s:
Infrastructure that Needs Care & Investment
Much of the drinking water system was built over a century ago and is now nearing the end of its expected lifespan. As infrastructure ages, the risk of leaks, contamination, and system failures increases. That’s why continuous maintenance, strategic upgrades, and smart long-term investments are so important, to prevent service disruptions, ensure high water quality, reduce costly emergency repairs, and protect the public, environmental, and economic health for generations to come.
The Problem: Aging Infrastructure
The lifespan of infrastructure components can vary widely based on factors such as the materials used, environmental conditions, maintenance practices, and the level of usage.
Water Distribution System Pipes
Cast Iron
Commonly used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these pipes have an average useful lifespan of 120 years.
Ductile Iron
Introduced in the 1950s, ductile iron pipes have an average useful lifespan of 100 years.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Popular since the 1970s, PVC pipes have an expected average useful lifespan of 70 years.
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
In use since the 1990s, HDPE pipes have an expected average useful lifespan of 70 years.
Miles of water main installed by material type over time
The map above shows the age of water mains in our system. More than 15% of the pipes are made of Cast Iron and have an average age of almost 90 years. Over the years, many of these cast iron pipes have been relined with cement which can extend their lifespan by an additional 40-50 years.
NWD History
The history of Newport’s public drinking water system began in 1876, when the City accepted George Norman’s proposal to construct a comprehensive waterworks system. Construction began that same year with the development of North and South Easton Ponds, which became the community’s primary water sources. Before this system was built, Newport relied primarily on the Touro Street Spring and private wells for its water supply.
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In 1881, George Norman joined with local leaders William Sheffield and Norman Weaver to establish the Newport Water Works Company, which was later renamed the Newport Water Corporation in 1929. The City of Newport assumed ownership and operation of the water system in 1936, expanding service across Aquidneck Island in the decades that followed.
System Growth & Expansion
When the system was in early stages of operation in 1882, Newport’s population was about 15,700, and the water network included:
- 30 miles of pipe
- 157 fire hydrants
- 27 meters
- Average daily consumption: 500,000 gallons
At that time, the North and South Easton Ponds had a total capacity of 10 million gallons. Over the next 50 years, the system expanded to include additional reservoirs acquired between 1877 and 1928, including Lawton Valley, St. Mary’s Pond, and Sisson Pond in Portsmouth, and Nelson Pond and Gardiner Pond in Middletown. Later additions included Nonquit Pond in Tiverton (1948) and Watson Pond in Little Compton (1967).
Today, the Newport Water Division (NWD) serves between 40,000 and over 100,000 people seasonally through a network that includes:
- 200+ miles of pipe
- 1,300+ hydrants
- 15,000+ meters
- Average daily consumption: 5 to 9.5 million gallons
North and South Easton Ponds remain primary water sources, now providing a usable capacity of 650.8 million gallons.
Treatment Facilities & Modernization
At the City’s request, the Newport Water Works Company built the system’s first modern water treatment plant (WTP) on Marlborough Street in 1910, which was later demolished. Increased water demand during World War II led to construction of the Lawton Valley Water Treatment Plant in 1942. To meet growing needs, the Station 1 WTP was added in 1991, expanding system capacity and improving reliability.
By 2004, evaluations showed that the Lawton Valley plant had exceeded its useful life, and Station 1 required significant upgrades to maintain water quality and increase capacity from 6 to 9 million gallons per day (MGD). Between 2012 and 2013, the City invested $85 million, loaned through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, to replace Lawton Valley WTP and upgrade Station 1 WTP. Both projects were completed in 2014.
The modern Lawton Valley and Station 1 treatment plants now operate with mirrored processes, providing operational flexibility and a combined treatment capacity of 16 MGD. Both facilities utilize advanced treatment technologies, including:
- Pre-oxidation
- Coagulation and flocculation
- Sedimentation
- Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filtration and post-filter treatment
- Fluoridation and disinfection
The GAC systems are particularly effective in addressing seasonal taste and odor issues caused by summer algae blooms. With these upgrades, the Lawton Valley and Station 1 became the first advanced treatment plants in Rhode Island to incorporate such processes, ensuring safe, high-quality drinking water for the Newport community well into the future.
