2026-33

A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING STATEWIDE DISCUSSION OF AFFORDABILITY EVALUATION METHODS IN DRINKING WATER AND CLEAN WATER STATE REVOLVING FUND

WHEREAS, the City of Newport provides essential drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services and is responsible for maintaining compliance with state and federal public health and environmental regulations pursuant to the Safe Drinking Water Act; AND

WHEREAS, Rhode Island administers the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and Clean Water State Revolving Fund program and related statutory authority, allocating principle forgiveness and financial assistance based in part on affordability and disadvantage community determinations; AND

WHEREAS, current affordability is calculated primarily at the municipal level or system-wide level and rely heavily on median household income metrics; AND

WHEREAS, municipal-wide median income does not fully reflect concentrated hardship within specific neighborhoods nor capture the burden experienced by households in the lowest quintile; AND

WHEREAS, residents experience combined essential utility costs, including drinking water and wastewater service, and affordability analysis should reflect household cost burden of drinking water and wastewater services consistent with the federal financial capability guidance used in the Clean Water Act program implementation; AND

WHEREAS, the purpose of this Resolution is to support potential refinements to statewide affordability methods, in all communities; AND

WHEREAS, any refinement of statewide affordability methods should apply consistently to all municipalities and is intended to support fair and transparent statewide infrastructure investment planning; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED: This resolution be sent to the Governor McKee, our current elected officials representing Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, and Naval Station Newport and board members of the Rhode island Infrastructure Bank and Department of Environmental Management to promote implementation.

JEANNE-MARIE NAPOLITANO

IN COUNCIL
READ AND PASSED
MARCH 25, 2026

Laura C. Swistak, CMC
City Clerk