Woonsocket moves to shut ageing wastewater incinerator
City of Woonsocket, Water Division, Rhode Island · Meeting date: October 19, 2026 · Published: October 20, 2026
Woonsocket is preparing to close its incineration plant rather than rebuild it, with Public Works Director D’Agostino saying Synagro also wants the facility shut. The city must submit a sludge-removal plan to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management as part of the closure process.
Key points
- Public Works Director D’Agostino said closure of the incineration plant “is going to happen” and that the city does not want federal support to keep the facility operating.
- The director said proposals to repair the facility exceed $60 million; Synagro has described the plant as being at end of life and in serious disrepair.
- Woonsocket and Synagro discussed the closure process and will meet RIDEM; a plan for removing all sludge from the city is required as part of the protocol.
- The director said ending incineration should reduce odours, electricity use, chemical consumption and wear on wastewater-treatment equipment, although a minor bill increase is expected.
Full report
Woonsocket is moving toward permanent closure of its wastewater incineration plant, with the city and plant operator Synagro aligned against a rebuild of the ageing facility.
Public Works Director D’Agostino told the City Council on 19 October that the closure “is going to happen”, following a discussion with Synagro, Veolia and others on how to implement it. He said Synagro wants the plant closed and that the city shares that position.
The next regulatory step will be a meeting with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. D’Agostino said the city must submit a plan for removing all sludge from Woonsocket as part of the closure protocol.
The director framed the decision as an alternative to major reinvestment in a facility he said was in serious disrepair and at end of life. He said there had been multiple repair-cost proposals, each running to more than $60 million. “Under no circumstance” should the city consider keeping the plant open, he said in response to a council question.
D’Agostino also rejected the idea that the city should seek federal support to retain the plant. “We don’t want a federal partner to help us keep it open,” he told the meeting. “We’ll take a federal partner to close it down.”
The incinerator is separate from the wastewater treatment operation, though council speakers said the process of preparing material for burning places a burden on the treatment plant. Council President Gendron said the wastewater facility itself functions well, while the incinerator’s closure could reduce treatment-plant operating demands.
D’Agostino said ending incineration would bring several operational benefits: odours should “pretty much” disappear; electricity and chemical consumption should fall; and wastewater-plant pumps, bearings and other equipment would face less wear. He said electricity costs at the site can reach $100,000 a month, while chemical costs were estimated at about $1.5 million.
The director also cited quality-of-life impacts from the facility’s location, which he said sits in a valley at the city’s lowest point. He compared the incinerator’s proximity to nearby sensitive uses with concerns raised about a proposed facility at Quonset Point: the Woonsocket incinerator is about 1,700 feet from the hospital, 2,100 feet from a middle school and 2,700 feet from the high school, he said.
D’Agostino acknowledged that the transition would bring a minor increase in bills, but argued that lower electricity, chemical and maintenance costs would offset part of the impact. No closure date, disposal destination, contract award or rate adjustment was presented to the council.
This summary was generated by AI based on the source document and may contain errors.
Source: City Council Regular Meeting, City of Woonsocket, Water Division