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Commission warned Easton's Pond flood risk could threaten island drinking water
Summary
Committee members highlighted Easton's Pond and coastal flooding as a direct threat to island drinking-water reservoirs, with local officials warning that overtopping could disrupt supply for thousands of residents.
Commissioners and presenters used Easton's Pond and nearby First Beach to illustrate how coastal flooding from storms can inundate roads and add saltwater to reservoirs that serve island residents. Matthew Skrzezinski, the Planning Board representative, warned that inundation could cut water supply and transportation, stressing the consequences for emergency evacuation routes and public health.
"There goes 20,000 people's water supply," Skrzezinski said, underlining the scale of risk if critical reservoirs are compromised. Melissa Welch (Chair, Conservation Commission) added that Newport Water has described island sources as "impaired" and likened them to "mud puddles," emphasizing high treatment costs and the threat that polluted runoff can cause beach closures and broader public-health impacts.
