Testimony of The
Honorable Scott P. Rabideau
Rhode Island House
of Representatives
District 60,
Burrillville
I.
History of the Pascoag Fire District
- Established
by Charter in 1887 (Act attached)
- Designed
to create a self sufficient village by providing fire protection, electric
utility service and water
- Roots
are found in the history of textile mill communities
II.
Subsurface Geology of Area
- Primarily
two distinct glacial formations in the Northeast; outwash and till
- Outwash
deposits normally follow existing or former river basins
- Volumes
of surface water are normally tapped from outwash aquifers
III.
Water Resources of Harrisville and Pascoag
- Branch
River Basin Aquifer is the sole source water supply for both villages
- All
existing wells draw from outwash formations within this aquifer
- Unfortunately,
many thoroughfares also follow the outwash or river basin. Colonial routes always took the path of
least resistance along waterways
- Commercial
and industrial development in the Northeast is always found along the
river corridors
IV.
Need for More Stringent Compliance for Underground
Storage Tanks
- MTBE
is a water soluble component of today’s formulated gasoline
- Service
stations are historically located along river basin routes throughout the
Northeast
- Leaking
gasoline storage tanks pose extra threats to water supplies since the
addition of MTBE
- MTBE
dissolves in the groundwater and is transported much greater distances
than the other components of gasoline
- Once
introduced to a community water supply the results are devastating
V.
Pascoag’s Trials and Tribulations
- No
potable water for over 140 days
- Skin
rashes and other health problems reported
- Loss
of business revenue
- Loss
of financial equity in homes
- Burden
on already short state clean up money