Burrillville water loop project a reality

Line would benefit town, connecting Daniele Drive to Clear River Road

BURRILLVILLE — The town is preparing to embark on a project to construct a water line in Harrisville that will connect and loop existing water supply lines from Commerce Park to Clear River Drive.

The project, a joint effort between the town, the Burrillville Industrial Foundation and the Harrisville Water District, is being financed by the Rhode Island Department of Health Infrastructure Bank. As part of that loan approval process, the town us required to hold a public hearing on the project, which will be held Feb. 28.

Scott A. Gibbs, consultant for the Burrillville Industrial Foundation and Burrillville Redevelopment Agency, told members of the Town Council at a workshop last week that the plan is to extend an existing 12-inch water line at the Route 102/Daniele Drive intersection within the shoulder of Broncos Highway (Route 102) and create a loop to eliminate the existing “dead end” in the water system.

Gibbs said the water loop is necessary because of concerns about public health and loss of water service to residents, as well as the ability of Burrillville Commerce Park to meet the future water demands of prospective tenants.

“There is a real need to create a water loop that would connect a water line

from Daniele Drive to Clear River Road because without it there is a higher risk of having an interruption of water service, which would be devastating to both the residents and the companies in the park,” Gibbs told the council.

“The lack of a water loop would also hamper the ability of the town to negotiate with fu-

ture business prospects that might come into that park and need water for fire protection,” he said.

Engineering and design work for the project was paid for by the Burrillville Industrial Foundation and the Harrisville Fire Department is contributing $300,000 for the pipes.

The bulk of the project will be financed by the Rhode Island Department of Health Infrastructure Bank, one of several new economic-development programs included in the FY2016 Jobs Budget to boost job growth,

improve energy efficiency and make the state more economically competitive.

The infrastructure bank has financed more than $400 million in drinking water projects across Rhode Island to date.

“All the pieces are in place and we’re trying to get the final deal in place through the Rhode Island Department of Health Infrastructure Bank,” Gibbs said.

The 253-acre Commerce Park is one of two industrial parks in Burrillville and is home to Daniele, Inc., which recently opened a new state-of-the-art charcuterie factory.

The company currently has three facilities in town – the Burrillville Commerce Park off Route 102 and in Pascoag. The new facility is an addition to the Commerce Park building at 1000 Daniele Drive in Mapleville. The $60 million 300,000-square-foot facility connects to the existing facility at the Burrillville Commerce Park, and double production capabilities.