Current Noncompliance RI

Westerly Water Department

EPA ID: RI1559512 ยท 35,298 people served ยท 2 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Westerly Water Department (RI1559512): 1 violation recorded with unresolved status in the SDWIS data used. Federal data lists 1 violation as unresolved at Westerly Water Department - roughly 35,298 residents in the service area.

Data: EPA SDWIS

D ยท 41
Avg Safety Score
35,298
People Served
2
ZIP Codes Served
24
Violations (since 2021)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.0051 mg/L
Most recent lead 90th percentile on record (monitoring period ending 2025-12-31)
Zone 1
County Radon Potential ยท High
24
Contaminants Flagged
$377K
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Westerly Water Department Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - average Home Safety grade of mapped ZIPs: D

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$92,574
Median Household Income
24,259
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
11%
Disadvantaged Population
20th
Poverty Percentile
60th
Energy Burden Percentile
74%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with Westerly Water Department have a median household income of $92,574 and about 24,259 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 74% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Westerly Water Department's water is classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
60th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
70th
Superfund Site Proximity

Wastewater Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 60th percentile nationally for proximity to wastewater discharge points.

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites. Groundwater sources near contaminated sites may face elevated risk from industrial chemicals.

Infrastructure Risk

88 yr
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
Galvanized Steel or Lead
Likely pipe material (modeled)
10 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 90% of expected lifespan used (estimate) End of life

PFAS in ZIP Codes This System Serves

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been reported in samples from water systems associated with the ZIP codes in this system's area. These results can come from other water systems serving the same ZIP codes; check the UCMR5 section for any results reported for this system. 14 detections recorded. 4 detections are above the level of a federal PFAS MCL (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS), with compliance required from 2029.

State PFAS values in our reference data (state drinking-water standard (enforceable)); check current state rules: PFAS6: 20 ppt
Health concern: Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with some cancers and with immune and developmental effects; effects differ by compound. Many PFAS break down very slowly in the environment.
Recommended filter: An activated carbon filter certified under NSF/ANSI 53 or a reverse osmosis system certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for the PFAS listed in its certification. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Rhode Island

Newport-city of
42,155 people
4 violations
North Kingstown Town of
27,732 people
D 0 violations
C 10 violations
East Providence-city of
47,618 people
B 0 violations
F 6 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

PFAS Treatment
PFAS Treatment $500
Total Estimated Cost $500

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

Illustrative per-household cost scenario based on stated assumptions:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $1,500

Annual per household (ZipCheckup estimate)

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$7,665
10 years
$15,330
20 years
$30,660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $500 (one-time) vs. $15,330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These estimates are for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Westerly Water Department (EPA ID: RI1559512) is a community water system in Rhode Island that serves approximately 35,298 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 2 ZIP codes across 2 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: D (41/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 2 of 2 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

1 current noncompliance record in the accepted 2026Q2 snapshot; none are classified as health-based in this evidence.

Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 23 resolved, 0 archived, 0 addressed, and 1 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
January 1, 2025 Lead and Copper Rule Non-health-based Unaddressed (current)
July 1, 2024 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 Xylenes, Total Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 DICHLOROMETHANE Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 o-Dichlorobenzene Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 p-Dichlorobenzene Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 Vinyl chloride Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 1,1-Dichloroethylene Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 1,2-Dichloroethane Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 1,1,1-Trichloroethane Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 Carbon tetrachloride Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 1,2-Dichloropropane Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 Trichloroethylene Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 1,1,2-Trichloroethane Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 Tetrachloroethylene Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 CHLOROBENZENE Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 Benzene Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 Toluene Non-health-based Resolved

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
Xylenes, Total Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
DICHLOROMETHANE Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
o-Dichlorobenzene Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
p-Dichlorobenzene Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
Vinyl chloride Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
1,1-Dichloroethylene Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
1,2-Dichloroethane Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
1,1,1-Trichloroethane Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
Carbon tetrachloride Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
1,2-Dichloropropane Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
Trichloroethylene Monitoring & Reporting 1 No
1,1,2-Trichloroethane Monitoring & Reporting 1 No

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.0051 mg/L No 2025-12-31

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

2 of 2 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 1.

The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by RI or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for Westerly Water Department (RI1559512) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Westerly Water Department water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows 1 current noncompliance record and zero current records classified as health-based. That classification is not a property-specific water test or safety guarantee.

How many people does Westerly Water Department serve?

Westerly Water Department serves approximately 35,298 people across 2 ZIP codes in Rhode Island.

Where does Westerly Water Department get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Sample Above an EPA MCL Value or State Standard

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). One or more PFAS measurements were above the level of the EPA MCL for that compound (April 2024 rule, which takes effect in 2029) or above an applicable state drinking-water standard; a monitoring result above that level is not by itself a violation.

Samples collected
406
Detections
28
Latest sample
9/2/2025
Highest analyte
PFBA: 10 ppt
Analyte Max detected EPA MCL (compliance required from 2029) Status
PFBA 10 ppt No federal MCL โ€”
PFOA 9 ppt 4 ppt Above EPA MCL value (compliance required from 2029)
PFOS 7 ppt 4 ppt Above EPA MCL value (compliance required from 2029)
PFPeA 6 ppt No federal MCL โ€”
PFHxA 5 ppt No federal MCL โ€”
PFHpA 3 ppt No federal MCL โ€”

RI enforces a limit of 20 ppt for the combined sum of six PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFHpA and PFDA). The table shows each compound's highest result, which can come from different samples, so it is not compared with that combined limit; the water system's compliance reports give the combined result.

EPA's April 2024 PFAS rule sets MCLs of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX); water systems must comply from 2029. Other PFAS compounds have no individual federal MCL. A state standard is shown only where this system's state has its own enforceable PFAS limit. Detection results are EPA UCMR5 samples, not a measurement at your tap.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

How Water Systems Appear in Rankings

Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Westerly Water Department safe to drink? ▼
Westerly Water Department has 24 recorded violations since 2021. The D shown is a ZIP-area score, not a grade for this utility; see the violation table for what was violated.
Should I use a water filter? ▼
Given 24 recorded violations, review the violation types and dates; a filter certified for a specific contaminant of concern can reduce that contaminant at the tap. Monitoring or reporting violations are not something a filter addresses.
How many people does Westerly Water Department serve? ▼
Westerly Water Department serves approximately 35,298 people with drinking water across 2 ZIP codes.
What is Westerly Water Department's water source? ▼
Westerly Water Department draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Westerly Water Department's water? ▼
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result on record is 0.0051 mg/L (sample period ending 2025-12-31). This is at or below the EPA lead action level, which triggers system action and is not a safe level; the EPA health goal for lead is zero.
What is the demographic profile of the ZIP codes associated with Westerly Water Department? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to Westerly Water Department have a median household income of $92,574 (Census ZIP-code estimate). Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Westerly Water Department get its water? ▼
Westerly Water Department's water is classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table. The available violation history and environmental indicators place this system in the elevated review category; they do not measure current source contamination.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Westerly Water Department (RI): 24 EPA Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ri1559512/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ri1559512,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Westerly Water Department (RI): 24 EPA Violations}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ri1559512/}
}

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

Westerly Water Department (EPA ID: RI1559512) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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