PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: April 28, 2026
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank, in coordination with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), has awarded a $1,481,570 grant to the Smithfield Water Supply Board for the construction and implementation of the Lake Forest Health & Rehabilitation Center Log Road interconnection project. The project will address radium and manganese contamination impacting the Lake Forest Health & Rehabilitation Center’s drinking water system by allowing the facility to interconnect with the Smithfield Water Supply Board’s municipal system, which meets all regulatory drinking water standards.
“Ensuring all Rhode Islanders have access to safe drinking water is a top priority, particularly for our most vulnerable residents who may rely on small systems that lack the financial resources to address contamination issues on their own,” said Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank Executive Director William Fazioli. “This $1.48 million Emerging Contaminants grant will allow the Smithfield Water Supply Board to extend its municipal system to the Lake Forest Health & Rehabilitation Center, providing a reliable, long-term supply of safe drinking water to the facility’s elderly residents and staff.”
“The residents and staff of the Lake Forest Health & Rehabilitation Center deserve access to safe drinking water, and that’s exactly what this project will accomplish,” said Gene Allen, Smithfield’s
Water Commissioner. “We are prioritizing the completion of the interconnection this year, and we want to thank the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank and Rhode Island Department of Health for helping us to secure the grant funding to make this project a reality.”
“This funding makes critical resources available to address immediate public health needs for susceptible populations,” said Director of Health Jerome Larkin, MD. “We are pleased to partner with the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank to support the Smithfield Water Supply Board as they advance this interconnection, which will ensure sustained access to safe drinking water.”
The interconnection project involves extending an existing water main approximately 2,500 linear feet to provide the facility—formerly the Hebert Health & Rehabilitation Center—with access to Smithfield’s municipal water system. This construction phase follows a previous $143,400 Emerging Contaminants grant awarded in April 2025 to complete the engineering and design portion of the project.
Funding for the grant award comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant Program.
Since 2024, the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank has awarded more than $16 million in Emerging Contaminants grants for drinking water improvement projects across the state.
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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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