Woonsocket
Woonsocket, RI water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
woonsocket water division
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID RI1559518
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Woonsocket, RI is a small but growing city, with a population near 41,475 and the 6th-largest community in Rhode Island. Like much of Rhode Island, Woonsocket draws its water primarily from Scituate Reservoir and groundwater.
Woonsocket's water outlook is shaped most by aging infrastructure — the issue that dominates planning across Rhode Island. A compact, reservoir-fed system with infrastructure-age as the leading concern.
Woonsocket sits in a state that reuses roughly 3% of treated wastewater (minimal programs) and currently experiences moderate to severe drought.
For the bigger picture, see the Rhode Island state water profile and the related issues below.
Providence County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~41,475 (6th-largest in Rhode Island)
- Primary sources: Scituate Reservoir and groundwater
- Drought: moderate to severe conditions
- State reuse rate: ~3% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Rhode Island in severe+ drought (Severe (D2) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Woonsocket?
Woonsocket's largest water system, WOONSOCKET WATER DIVISION, serves about 45,828 people. EPA records show 1 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 6.6 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Woonsocket get its water?
WOONSOCKET WATER DIVISION draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Rhode Island's supply from Scituate Reservoir, groundwater.