By JOSEPH B. NADEAU

WOONSOCKET — The Town of Cumberland and the City of Woonsocket are working on an agreement that could deliver an added margin of drinking water supply security to both communities.

The Woonsocket City Council approved a resolution Monday supporting development of a system tie-in at Highland Industrial Park, which is in Woonsocket on the Cumberland border. The Cumberland Town Council took a similar step on Sept. 4.
Woonsocket Public Works Director Michael Annarummo described the proposed connection as an expansion of the water selling agreements the city has already completed with Lincoln and North Smithfield.
The agreement would provide the city with an alternative water supply in case of an emergency such as a city water main break — but its currently ample supplies of water would make it a more likely supplier than consumer under the agreement, according to Annarummo.
“Woonsocket needs to be in a position to deliver water in a southerly direction,” Annarummo said. Although still requiring approval by the state Water Resources Board — and possibly grant funding to help create the connection —  Annarummo said the agreement ultimately could help Woonsocket, Cumberland and Pawtucket in developing a regional approach to their municipal water systems.
“It’s very important for Cumberland and Woonsocket to be on the same page when that day comes,” he said.
 The two communities have discussed the need for such a connection over the past five years but never came to the point of actually taking steps to create it, he said.
Cumberland’s water superintendent, Alan Brodd, also participated in the discussion at Monday’s council meeting. He noted the link would be made at the city-town line in Highland Industrial Park, where both communities maintain water tanks.  “We would be able to supply water from the Woonsocket tank to the Cumberland tank and vice versa,” he said.
The city already supplies Lincoln with water during the summer; the connection would allow similar sales to Cumberland, Annarummo noted.
The measure became effective upon the council’s vote of approval.