PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: January 8, 2026
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank (RIIB), the state’s central hub for financing infrastructure improvements for municipalities, businesses, and homeowners, in coordination with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) 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.
“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, Ph.D., P.E. “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.”
“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.”
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About the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank
Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank is Rhode Island’s central hub for financing infrastructure improvements for municipalities, businesses, and homeowners. We leverage capital in a revolving fund to offer innovative financing for an array of infrastructure-based projects including water and wastewater, road and bridge, energy efficiency and renewable energy, and brownfield remediation. These quality-of-life projects improve the State’s infrastructure, create jobs, promote economic development, and enhance the environment. www.riib.org – Facebook: @RIinfrastructure – Twitter: @RI_InfraBank
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