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Newport staff present FY27 CIP that shows large unfunded water, sewer and stormwater needs
Summary
At a Jan. 7 workshop, city staff laid out a five‑year capital improvement program that highlights major infrastructure shortfalls — including nearly $13.3M tied to wastewater clarifiers and an estimated $17.9M water gap — and urged councilors to pursue grants, loans and local revenue tools ahead of public hearings starting Jan. 28.
City officials told the Newport City Council at a Jan. 7 workshop that the proposed FY27 Capital Improvement Program outlines significant, multi‑year shortfalls across water, wastewater and stormwater systems, and urged council action to close the gaps.
Theresa Crean, director of resilience and sustainability who presented for Director Schultz, said the draft CIP shows an FY27 sanitary‑sewer infrastructure gap of about $13,275,000, much of it tied to primary clarifier work. She said the stormwater slate for FY27 totals about $2.75 million with a remaining unfunded stormwater need of roughly $750,000 and that funded water projects for FY27 total $5.7 million, leaving an approximate water gap near $17.9 million. Crean added the city has applied for federal grants and is pursuing state revolving fund options.
The finance director framed the CIP as a planning 'wish list' that gives councilors and the public an early view of needs. Jim Nolan said the document is not a budget but a tool to prioritize projects as revenue assumptions become firmer. "This is at the time it is prepared," Nolan said, emphasizing the plan’s role in sequencing work and avoiding emergency repairs.
Multiple councilors urged urgency. One councilor warned the city is covering “less than 20%” of critical infrastructure needs and called for immediate consideration of new revenue tools such as a stormwater utility and aggressive grant pursuit.
Crean and staff said they are pursuing several grant and financing avenues: an expected docket item with the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank on clarifiers, staff submissions to federal programs including the Economic Development Administration and outreach to the congressional delegation for earmarks (staff mentioned a $13 million congressional request for lead‑service‑line replacements). Crean also noted a prior US DOT award of $4.4 million that was not included in the presented draft.
Staff framed the FY27 CIP as the first step in a multi‑year program that will be refined before public hearings. Manager Colin Kennedy said the first public hearing on the CIP was scheduled for Jan. 28 and urged councilors and the public to weigh in before staff returns with more detailed funding scenarios.
Next steps: the council will hold public hearings beginning Jan. 28; staff said they will continue to pursue grants and low‑interest loans while preparing more detailed funding options for the council’s budgeting process.
