“Follow the Flush” with a Free Tour!

Narragansett Bay Commission Offers Free Clean Water Tours: Follow the Flush!

In celebration of Rhode Island Clean Water Week, the Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) will offer free public tours of its award-winning Field’s Point Wastewater Treatment Facility in Providence on Saturday, April 12 from 10:00 Am to 1:00 PM.

The tours will include a look at the region’s most sophisticated water quality lab, “touch-a-truck” and “touch-a-boat” with the NBC’s maintenance and research vehicles, a clean water scavenger hunt, and other fun activities.

“This facility is simultaneously one of the oldest and most advanced clean water facilities in the nation,” said NBC Chairman Vincent Mesolella. “We’re so excited to give the public the opportunity to ‘follow the flush’ and view the process that has made Narragansett Bay cleaner than it has been in 150 years.”

In addition, the NBC will issue certificates of completion to all students who take the tour that may be redeemed for extra credit at school (but students are advised check with their teacher first).

“I am confident that anyone who experiences this tour will be amazed and appreciative by the clean water efforts in our community,” Mesolella added.

Members of the public can book a tour on the half hours between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM by emailing nbcpr@narrabay.com. Spaces are limited. The tour will take approximately 90 minutes.

The NBC joins four other clean water agencies in Rhode Island offering free public tours during Rhode Island Clean Water Week. Information on other tours is available at ricwa.org

NBC Sponsors Annual Poster Contest for Grades K-6

The Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) is proud to sponsor its 32nd annual student poster contest. The theme of this year’s contest is The Best Day I Had With Water. The NBC would like students to artistically showcase a day they remember having a great time with water. There are so many activities that involve water. Students could draw themselves at a beach, a water park, in a canoe, using their own pool, or even enjoying a drink of water after a grueling sports activity. Water helps us daily, let’s celebrate it!

The contest rules are as follows:

  • Students must be in grades K-6 and reside in Providence, North Providence, Johnston, Central Falls, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Cumberland, Cranston, Smithfield, or East Providence.
  • Posters cannot be larger than 11×17 or smaller than 8 1/2×11.
  • Posters must include the student’s name, grade, school, home address, and phone number on the back.
  • Posters become the property of the Narragansett Bay Commission.
  • Winners receive a $100 cash prize, winning posters are printed in NBC’s 2026 poster calendar, and winners are invited to a recognition ceremony at the NBC Field’s Point Wastewater Treatment Facility at 2 Ernest Street, Providence. 
  • Mail posters to the Narragansett Bay Commission’s Public Affairs Office at One Service Road, Providence, RI 02905.
  • THE CONTEST DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2025!

For more information, please call the NBC’s Public Affairs Office at 401-443-4947 or email cmorissette@narrabay.com.

October 30, 2024

Water column profiles were conducted at seven locations in the Providence and Seekonk River estuaries on October 30, 2024 using a Seabird Electronics profiler. In the five days leading up to the survey, no precipitation was recorded at T.F. Green.  Water column stratification varied between the sites this week from well-mixed at most sites to weakly stratified at Phillipsdale Landing.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions were not observed to be below the hypoxia threshold (2.9 mg/L) at any site profiled this week. The highest fluorescence recorded this week was measured around 1 meter below the surface at Phillipsdale Landing.

October 23, 2024

Water column profiles were conducted at six locations in the Providence River estuary on October 23, 2024 using a Seabird Electronics profiler. A seventh site, Point Street Bridge, was visited, but no data was collected due to an equipment malfunction. In the five days leading up to the survey, no precipitation was recorded at T.F. Green.  Water column stratification varied between the sites this week from well-mixed at Pawtuxet Cove to moderately stratified at India Point Park.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions were not observed to be below the hypoxia threshold (2.9 mg/L) at any site profiled this week. The highest fluorescence recorded this week was measured around 2.5 meters below the surface at Conimicut Point.

January 22, 2025

Nutrient samples were collected from six river stations on January 22th. No samples were collected from bay stations due to adverse weather conditions. In the five days prior to sampling, 0.79 inches of precipitation were recorded at T.F. Green. 

The highest total nitrogen (TN), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations were observed at Pawtuxet River @ Broad St. (TN = 1,920 ppb, TDN = 2,110 ppb, DIN = 1,734 ppb). The lowest TN and DIN concentrations were observed at Moshassuck River @ Footbridge at Mill St. (TN =777 ppb, DIN = 657 ppb). The lowest TDN concentration was observed at Woonasquatucket River @ Manton Ave. Bridge (896 ppb).

The next scheduled sampling date is February 5, 2025.

January 8, 2025

Nutrient samples were collected from eleven river stations on January 8th. No samples were collected from bay stations due to adverse weather conditions. In the five days prior to sampling, trace amounts of precipitation were recorded at T.F. Green. 

The highest total nitrogen (TN), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations were observed at Ten Mile River @ Central Ave. (TN = 2,760  ppb, TDN = 2,970 ppb, DIN = 2,729 ppb – averages of duplicates). The lowest TN, TDN and DIN concentrations were observed at Coles River @ Milford Rd. (TN = 641 ppb, TDN = 650 ppb, DIN = 209 ppb).

The next scheduled sampling date is January 22, 2025.

December 24, 2024

Nutrient samples were collected from seven river stations on December 24th. No samples were collected from bay stations due to adverse weather conditions. In the five days prior to sampling, 0.28 inches of precipitation were recorded at T.F. Green. 

The highest total nitrogen (TN) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) were observed at Blackstone River @ Stateline (TN = 1,290 ppb, TDN = 1,360 ppb). The highest dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentration was observed at Pawtuxet River @ Broad St. (964 ppb). The lowest TN, TDN and DIN concentrations were observed at Woonasquatucket River @ Manton Ave. Bridge (TN = 655 ppb, TDN = 670 ppb, DIN = 397 ppb).

The next scheduled sampling date is January 8, 2025.

December 11, 2024

Nutrient samples were collected from twelve river stations on December 11th. No samples were collected from bay stations due to adverse weather conditions. In the five days prior to sampling, 0.38 inches of precipitation were recorded at T.F. Green. 

The highest total nitrogen (TN), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations were observed at Ten Mile River @ Central Ave. (TN = 3,295 ppb, TDN = 3,430 ppb, DIN = 2,960 ppb – averages of duplicates). The lowest TN and DIN concentrations were observed at Coles River @ Milford Rd. (TN = 648 ppb, DIN = 103 ppb). The lowest TDN was observed at Moshassuck River @ Footbridge at Mill St. (560 ppb).

The next scheduled sampling date is December 24, 2024.

November 27, 2024

Nutrient samples were collected from seven river stations on November 27th. No samples were collected from bay stations due to adverse weather conditions. In the five days prior to sampling, 0.75 inches of precipitation were recorded at T.F. Green. 

The highest total nitrogen (TN), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations were observed at Pawtuxet River @ Broad St. (TN = 1,670 ppb, TDN = 1,660 ppb, DIN = 1,275 ppb). The lowest TN, TDN, and DIN concentrations were observed at Moshassuck River @ Footbridge at Mill St. (TN = 641 ppb, TDN = 721 ppb, DIN = 468 ppb.

The next scheduled sampling date is December 11, 2024.

November 13 and 14, 2024

Nutrient samples were collected from twelve river stations and eight bay stations on November 13th and 14th. All bay stations were sampled at the surface and one station (Edgewood Shoal) was sampled at the bottom. In the five days prior to sampling, there were 0.10 inches of precipitation recorded at T.F. Green. 

Among the river stations sampled, the highest total nitrogen (TN), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) were observed Ten Mile River @ Central Ave. (TN = 2,910 ppb, TDN = 2,940 ppb, DIN = 2,425). The lowest TN, TDN, and DIN were observed at Palmer River @ Rt. 6 (TN = 480 ppb, TDN = 286 ppb, DIN = 23 ppb).

Among the bay stations sampled, the highest surface total nitrogen (TN), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) were observed at Pawtuxet Cove (TN = 1,550 ppb, TDN = 1,490 ppb, DIN = 1,025 ppb). The lowest surface TN was observed at Edgewood Shoal (412 ppb, average of duplicates). The lowest surface TDN and DIN concentrations were observed at Conimicut Point (TDN = 384 ppb, DIN = 91 ppb).

The next scheduled sampling date is November 27th, 2024.​

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