Rhode Island
Rhode Island sits in the Northeast and draws its water primarily from Scituate Reservoir and groundwater. With roughly 1.1 million residents, the state has minimal formal water reuse to date, reusing an estimated 3% of its treated wastewater.
Rhode Islandwater quality & safety
Top violation drivers in Rhode Island
| Contaminant / rule | Systems |
|---|---|
| TTHM | 10 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | 9 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | 8 |
| Combined Radium (-226 and -228) | 2 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U | 2 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | 1 |
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1 · health-based violations since 2016
A compact, reservoir-fed system with infrastructure-age as the leading concern.
On the U.S. Drought Monitor scale, Rhode Island currently tracks around moderate to severe conditions. Rhode Island has 93 community water systems serving about 1 million people; EPA records show 32 of them (34.4%) with a health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016. The pages below break down the water issues that matter most here and the communities working on solutions.
Drought history — severe+ extent
% of Rhode Island in severe drought or worse (D2+) each late summer.
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC/UNL, USDA, NOAA) · latest 2026-06-09
Water use (USGS 2015)
- Per-capita (public supply)
- 103 gpcd
- Total withdrawals
- 0.3 Bgal/d
- From groundwater
- 26.9%
- Irrigation share
- 1.2%
- Wastewater reused (est.)
- ~3%
Primary water sources
- ≈ Scituate Reservoir
- ≈ groundwater
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has 93 community water systems serving about 1 million people. EPA records show 32 of them (34.4%) with at least one health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016, and 6 system(s) over the federal lead action level. Most large systems meet standards; check your specific city and your utility's annual report.
What contaminants are most common in Rhode Island's water?
The most frequent health-based violations involve TTHM, Revised Total Coliform Rule, Lead and Copper Rule.
How much water does Rhode Island use per person?
Public water systems in Rhode Island withdraw about 103 gallons per person per day (USGS 2015), drawing 26.9% of fresh water from groundwater.
How bad is the drought in Rhode Island?
As of 2026-06-09, 100% of Rhode Island is in drought (D1+) and 52.3% is in severe drought or worse, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Cities in Rhode Island
6 trackedProvidence
Providence, RI water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Warwick
Warwick, RI water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Cranston
Cranston, RI water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Pawtucket
Pawtucket, RI water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
East Providence
East Providence, RI water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Woonsocket
Woonsocket, RI water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.