East Greenwich council ratifies $503,150 contract to replace aging underground fuel tanks

The East Greenwich Town Council on June 9 ratified a $503,150 contract with Rhode Island Hydraulics Company to supply and install new above‑ground fueling facilities as the town moves to replace aging underground storage tanks.

Council President Mark Schwager and Director of Public Works Fred Gomes told the council the town’s existing underground tanks at the highway garage and the wastewater treatment facility have exceeded the manufacturer’s recommended useful life and must be replaced. "One of the ad alternates was a canopy that goes over the tanks, and the other ad alternate was a DEF dispenser," Gomes said. "The total project contains all of those."

Gomes told the council the new above‑ground installation at the highway garage will allow the town to bring the new tanks online before removing the old underground tanks, reducing service interruption during the swap. He described the replacement unit as a split tank with 6,000 gallons of diesel and 4,000 gallons of gasoline and said the wastewater facility’s underground tank will be removed after the new tanks are operational.

Town staff told the council the contract award will be funded in part with American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds, and that the current procurement work represents the first phase of a larger project that may include additional above‑ground dispensing stations (including a planned station behind the police department) and the staged removal of other in‑ground tanks once funding is secured.

Councilors approved the ratification by voice vote, 4–0. The manager and finance director will finalize project scheduling, oversee ARP disbursement for this award and return to the council if additional budget authority or contract amendments are required.

The council approved minutes for the May 27 meeting and moved on to other business after the award ratification.