PFAS · Rhode Island
PFAS in Rhode Island drinking water: EPA’s final survey results
EPA’s national PFAS survey (UCMR 5) tested 26 of the community water systems that serve homes in Rhode Island. 14 found at least one of 29 PFAS above the laboratory reporting level, and 7 had a PFOA or PFOS sampling-location yearly average at or above EPA’s 4.0 ppt limit. Samples were collected from January 2023 to November 2025.
Data as of EPA UCMR 5 final release, August 2026 (file dated Aug 28, 2026) · EPA SDWIS 2026Q2 (file dated Jul 9, 2026). How we build these pages
PFHxA was the compound Rhode Island community systems found most often: 11 of 26 tested systems measured it above the reporting level. Across the country, 35% of surveyed community systems found at least one PFAS; in Rhode Island the share is 54%. The largest Rhode Island system with a detection, Pawtucket Water Supply Board Veolia-Na, serves 98,130 people and found 1 of the 29 compounds.
Which PFAS were found most often in Rhode Island
Each row counts the Rhode Island community water systems where that compound was measured above the reporting level at least once. A detection is a measurement, not a violation: most of these compounds have no federal limit.
| Compound | Systems where found | Systems tested | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFHxA | 11 | 26 | 42% |
| PFPeA | 11 | 26 | 42% |
| PFOA | 10 | 26 | 38% |
| PFBS | 7 | 26 | 27% |
| PFHpA | 7 | 26 | 27% |
| PFBA | 5 | 26 | 19% |
| PFOS | 5 | 26 | 19% |
| 6:2 FTS | 2 | 26 | 8% |
| PFHxS | 2 | 26 | 8% |
| PFNA | 1 | 26 | 4% |
Rhode Island systems with the most PFAS found
The 10 surveyed community water systems that found the most different PFAS, with PFOA and PFOS compared to EPA’s 4.0 ppt limits on the yearly average at the highest sampling location. Larger systems come first when counts tie.
| Water system | People served | PFAS found (of 29) | PFOA | PFOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Rhode Island RI1858422 | 19,354 | 8 | 16.0 ppt at or above the MCL | 4.5 ppt at or above the MCL |
| Westerly Water Department RI1559512 | 35,298 | 7 | 7.5 ppt at or above the MCL | 6.0 ppt at or above the MCL |
| Kent County Water Authority RI1559511 | 94,107 | 6 | 7.1 ppt at or above the MCL | — not detected above the reporting level |
| North Kingstown Town of RI1559517 | 27,732 | 6 | 7.6 ppt at or above the MCL | 4.5 ppt at or above the MCL |
| Cumberland, Town of RI1647530 | 21,235 | 6 | 4.5 ppt at or above the MCL | 5.5 ppt at or above the MCL |
| Woonsocket Water Division RI1559518 | 45,828 | 5 | 1.5 ppt below the MCL | — not detected above the reporting level |
| Kingston Water District RI1858421 | 3,968 | 5 | 5.2 ppt at or above the MCL | — not detected above the reporting level |
| South Kingstown-South Shore RI1615623 | 6,170 | 4 | 6.1 ppt at or above the MCL | — not detected above the reporting level |
| Narragansett Water Dept-North End RI1858429 | 4,432 | 4 | 2.2 ppt below the MCL | 2.0 ppt below the MCL |
| Newport-City of RI1592010 | 42,155 | 3 | — not detected above the reporting level | — not detected above the reporting level |
Counties with the most systems that found PFAS
- Washington County 6 of 9 surveyed systems
- Newport County 4 of 5 surveyed systems
- Providence County 3 of 8 surveyed systems
- Kent County 1 of 3 surveyed systems