But the break-in at the Blackstone water facility prompts officials to wonder just how safe the water supply in the region is if teenagers could allegedly access the system and do enough damage to close schools and businesses.

01:00 AM EST on Thursday, March 30, 2006

BY TALIA BUFORD
Journal Staff Writer

Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with the vandalism at the Blackstone, Mass., Water Department and a public health advisory for customers to avoid contact with the water was lifted by midday yesterday.

But the incident prompted officials to wonder how safe the water supply in the region is if teenagers could break into a water-system facility and do enough damage to close schools and businesses in Blackstone and leave dozens of customers in North Smithfield unable to drink from the tap or even bathe.

The federal government has a series of guidelines -- but no mandates -- for water departments to ensure the safety of their facilities, such as installing lighting around facilities and locking access to water tanks, said Jane Downing, chief of the drinking water branch of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's New England Region.

"We have guidance available on the need to ensure the integrity of tanks and suggestions on how to do that," she said, "but it's up to each system to decide what works best for them."

However, the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 requires water systems serving more than 33,000 people to conduct vulnerability assessments to identify weak spots in the security system and to complete an emergency-response plan.

"This is not just the possibility of terrorist acts, where that might have been the focus of the Bioterrorism Act; as we see in Blackstone, there could be others who might seek to do harm, including teenagers, disgruntled employees and others within the community," Downing said. "That's why it's important to pay attention."

Officials erred on the side of caution Tuesday, calling for the no-contact order after a security breach was discovered at the Bellingham Avenue facility of the Blackstone Water Department, which contains a 1.3-million-gallon tank.

The police arrested two 15-year-old boys Tuesday night, charging them with trespassing, malicious destruction of property, polluting a water supply and tampering with a public water supply.

All the charges are felonies, except for trespassing. The boys were arraigned yesterday morning in Juvenile Court in Worcester, said Lt. Gregory Gilmore of the Blackstone Police Department.

A 15-year-old girl may also face a trespassing charge, he said.

A first round of tests by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection found no chemical agents in the water, said spokesman Edmund Coletta, prompting officials to lift the no-use order.

Though tests ruled out the possibility of chemical agents being introduced into the water system, Gilmore said the department is moving forward on the contamination charge against the teens.

"When the suspects broke the fiberglass cover, some of the fiberglass may have fallen into the water," he said. "It may not have acted as a toxic contaminant, but they did introduce a foreign substance into the water."

A boil-water advisory remains in effect for the affected customers until a test for bacteria in the water is completed. Tap water boiled for one minute should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, food preparation and bathing infants. Chilldren and adults can bathe in tap water as long as they don't swallow it.

Only the small portion of North Smithfield residents who buy water from Blackstone -- about 83 households -- were affected by the ban. A majority of North Smithfield residents either use private well water or receive water from the town, via a hook-up with neighboring Woonsocket. More than 8,800 Blackstone residents receive water from the Blackstone Water Department.

The incident in Blackstone demonstrates the necessity for strong security measures at water systems across the area, said Michael Annarummo, director of public works, administration and public safety for Woonsocket.

"People complain when they see you spending money and doing these sophisticated things with security, but here's a good example," Annarummo said. "This is why it's necessary."

In 2002, The Journal reported that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded $53 million for security upgrades to publicly owned drinking water utilities across the country that serve at least 100,000 people.

In Rhode Island, the Providence and Pawtucket Water Supply boards each received $115,000 as part of that award. The Providence Water Supply Board provides water to more than 600,000 people -- or 60 percent of the state, while the Pawtucket Water Supply Board serves 100,000 people in Pawtucket, Central Falls and sections of Cumberland and Seekonk.

The Providence system has spent "several million" over the past few years upgrading security, adding cameras, alarms and fences," said chief engineer and general manager Pamela Marchand.

Smaller towns can look to the state for monetary relief for security upgrades to water facilities, Downing said.

Each year, EPA contributes about $8 million to Rhode Island, alone, to finance upgrades to municipal and town water systems, Downing said.

The town water system in South Kingstown is fairly small, said Jon Schock, director of public services for South Kingstown, with only 3,100 customers, but the town made getting the money to upgrade security a priority.

"We did it with local dollars," he said. "You have to weigh the potential of a small utility being targeted as a potential terrorism site versus the cost. We tend to believe that just because you're not considered a high threat doesn't mean a threat doesn't exist."

With North Smithfield residents working around the inconvenience of the boil advisory as a result of the security breach, Town Administrator Robert B. Lowe said a deeper look at the security measures in place is definitely warranted.

"We have locks on the doors, and we could have the security, but there's a price tag that goes on that," Lowe said. "When something like this happens, you say we'd be a fool not to have that, but when you're doing a budget to figure whether to put money in to buy a snow plow or buy a security system," Lowe said, his voice trailing off.

"How much can you buy in security if it never happens? Everyone thinks it's a waste of money," he said. "If it does, they say it's the best investment ever made. Hindsight is always 20/20."

tbuford@projo.com / (401) 277-7378