After Delivering $3.25M Federal Investment, Reed & Town Leaders Celebrate Critical Coventry Sewer Upgrade

COVENTRY, RI – Not a lot of people talk about their sewage or septic system…until it stops working. Making investments in modern wastewater systems is critical to protecting the environment, public health, and clean water. In an effort to expand the reach of Coventry’s sewer system and replace the high school’s obsolete wastewater system to better serve local students and residents, U.S. Senator Jack Reed delivered a $3.25 million federal earmark for Coventry to extend its sewer line and connect it to Coventry High School to protect local water quality and help save town resources. Senator Reed joined Coventry Town Manager Daniel Parrillo, Jr., Council Vice President Frank Brown, School Superintendent Don Cowart, and other local leaders to celebrate the upgrades and discuss the importance of modern water systems to safeguarding the environment and enhancing local water quality. “Today, we celebrate the sweet smell of success. Or more accurately, the smell that no longer lingers! The High School’s outdated wastewater system clearly needed to be replaced, and I was proud to deliver a $3.25 million federal earmark to get the job done for students, teachers, and local residents,” said Senator Reed, a leading member of the Appropriations Committee. “This critical sewer extension not only better serves the High School, helps keep the groundwater clean, and saves critical Town tax dollars. It will also allow for residents along Reservoir Avenue to connect with the sewer system down the line to increase the environmental benefits from this project by replacing other outdated septic systems in the neighborhood.” “The Town of Coventry thanks Senator Reed for his leadership and commitment to our residents and students in securing this $3.25 million grant to replace the Coventry High School sewer line. This critical upgrade to our infrastructure will not only benefit the high school, but the residents and businesses in the surrounding area who will now have the opportunity to tie in to the line and make their property more valuable,” said Coventry Town Manager Daniel Parrillo, Jr. “This project would not have happened without Senator Reed’s investment in Coventry and we look forward to working with him on more projects in the future.” Coventry High School currently enrolls approximately 1,200 students and includes the CHS Regional Career Center which welcomes students from nearby communities for vocational education opportunities. Now complete, the new sewer line extension on Reservoir Road replaces the school’s failing wastewater treatment system that was built in 1973, eliminating a potentially serious source of environmental pollution, safeguarding local water quality, and reducing pollution risks within the Narragansett Bay watershed. Before this upgrade, the school’s outdated wastewater system had become inoperable. Serving as a sewage holding tank, the outdated system required daily transfers to the Cranston Wastewater Treatment Facility and resulted in significant costs for the Town. The new 3,400-foot extension will also allow for new connections for homes along Reservoir Road in the future, eliminating septic systems which can also be a source of groundwater pollution. Approximately 35 properties will have connection access to the new sewer extension funded by Reed’s earmark.