States › Rhode Island

Rhode Island Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 40 cities across Rhode Island — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 25 Cities covered: 40 Updated: 2026 Q2
B

Rhode Island earns a B for overall water quality

40 communities across 5 counties and 25 water systems. 100.0% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 1.40 ppb
15.0% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 80.0% of communities; 9 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 100.0% of communities
100.0% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
25
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
1.4 ppb
9% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
100%
of systems — no active violations
How we grade states Grades are based on actual EPA enforcement data — MCL violations and lead levels measured against the 15 ppb federal action level. We do not use MCLG-based detections, which are aspirational zero-tolerance goals that would make nearly every state look dangerous. Read our full methodology →

Best & Worst Cities in Rhode Island

✓ Cleanest Water
Pawtucket
Providence County
1.3 ppb A
Warwick
Kent County
1.9 ppb A
Central Falls
Providence County
1.3 ppb A
Lincoln
Providence County
0.0 ppb A
Bristol
Bristol County
1.9 ppb A
Barrington
Bristol County
1.9 ppb A
⚠ Needs Attention
Charlestown
Washington County
6.0 ppb D
Westerly
Washington County
5.1 ppb D
North Kingstown
Washington County
1.3 ppb C
Newport
Newport County
27.7 ppb C
Middletown
Newport County
27.7 ppb C
Melville
Newport County
27.7 ppb C

Water Quality by County

5 of 5
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
Providence County 16 1.3 ppb 0 A
Washington County 10 3.2 ppb 0 C
Newport County 6 16.3 ppb 0 B
Kent County 5 1.4 ppb 0 B
Bristol County 3 1.9 ppb 0 A

About Rhode Island Drinking Water

Rhode Island is served by 25 community water systems covering 40 communities across 5 counties. 100.0% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 34 communities, with a median of 1.40 ppb — 9% of the federal action level. A further 6 reported none detected. That share is a state reporting convention rather than a measure of water quality, so it is stated separately rather than averaged in.

PFAS has been tested at 80.0% of communities here, and 9 are above the limits EPA set in 2024. Coverage matters: states that test more find more, so this figure is not comparable with a state that has tested less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Rhode Island tap water safe to drink? ▼
100.0% of communities have no open violation on record. 9 have PFAS above the federal limit set in 2024, which is the main open concern.
Does Rhode Island have a lead problem? ▼
7 water systems report a 90th-percentile lead result at or above the 15 ppb action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and 6 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for Rhode Island? ▼
Lead results are reported for 100.0% of communities and PFAS for 80.0%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does Rhode Island compare with other states? ▼
We do not rank states against each other. Lead reporting completeness ranges from under 20% to 100% depending on the state, so a national ranking would compare filing practice rather than water quality.