'Sneaky' sale of Fall River water protested at rally

FALL RIVER – The Coalition for Social Justice rallied against the Watuppa Water Board Monday to protest the “sneaky” sale of city water to a proposed power plant in Burrillville, R.I.

“Our water board sold our water with no one knowing,” said coalition member Erica Scott-Pacheco.

The water board in a 2-1 vote last year approved a contract with Benn Water & Heavy Transport to supply water to Invenergy, a Chicago developer that has proposed building a fracked gas power plant in Burrillville.

Several other communities had denied the sale of water to the plant.

The city of Fall River is being paid $25,000 a year for the water.

The agreement expires three years after the power plant is built. Environmental groups are protesting the fracked gas power plant.

“So basically, they got rewarded for being sneaky,” Scott-Pacheco said. “It’s a bad deal.”

The Watuppa Water Board in September said they were not in favor of renewing the contract, but would not void the current agreement.

Coalition for Social Justice member Sabrina Davis said the rally was part of a series going on across the state to hold leaders accountable for polluting communities -- especially in lower-income and working class cities and towns -- and sacrificing those people for wealth and private interest.

“The world does not need another fracked gas plant and we don’t need to be selling water to them,” Davis said. “Just because it’s not in our backyard doesn’t mean it doesn’t impact us.”

Alex Papali of Clean Water Action, a statewide coalition, visited Fall River from Boston to attend the rally.

“The idea is we can work together,” Papali said. “We have the strength if we work collectively.”

Papali said residents have a right to care about their home and environment, including projects in other communities like Burriville because “everything is connected.”

About the sale of water, Papali said: “There’s some things you just can’t sell.”

He said it was a “corrupt economic system” when “two government officials speak for everyone.”

Papali said the Coalition for Social Justice has “their support for the long haul. There’s a big fight ahead and we’re going to be working together.”

Scott-Pacheco said: “This is not going away, it’s only getting bigger.”

The rally was held on Wordell Street at the entrance to the Quequechan Rail Trail. Also celebrated by the group with song, smudging, and a round dance, was National Indigenous People’s Day.

Email Deborah Allard at dallard@heraldnews.com.