Water System Report RI

Shady Harbor Fire District

EPA ID: RI1559513 · 300 people served · 3 ZIP codes

For the full five-year period covered by EPA monitoring, Shady Harbor Fire District has supplied tap water to 300 residents with no violations of any type on record.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

300
People Served
3
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
0
Contaminants Flagged
$423K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Compliance Trajectory

Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months

Violations went from 1 (2023) to 1 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Shady Harbor Fire District Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary

Service Area Demographics

$94,712
Median Household Income
32,276
Service Area Population
11%
Disadvantaged Population
20th
Poverty Percentile
60th
Energy Burden Percentile
69%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Shady Harbor Fire District serves a community with a median household income of $94,712 and an estimated 32,276 residents across its service area. Approximately 69% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Shady Harbor Fire District's water is pumped from underground aquifers. 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.

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

About 1% of homes in Washington County, Rhode Island rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.

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

71 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
18 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 80% of expected lifespan used End of life

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 14 detections recorded. 4 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).

State limits: PFAS5: 0.02 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Rhode Island

D 9 violations
C 37 violations
0 violations
0 violations
0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
Flood Insurance $1,600
Radon Mitigation $1,200
PFAS Treatment $400
Water Filtration $100
Total Estimated Cost $3,300

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

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

PFAS Exposure — Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $3,300 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Shady Harbor Fire District (EPA ID: RI1559513) is a community water system in Rhode Island that serves approximately 300 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 3 ZIP codes across 3 communities.

Violation History

No violations recorded — This water system has no recorded EPA violations in the past 5 years.

Lead & Copper

No Lead and Copper Rule sampling data available for this water system.

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: 2 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 1 additional ZIP inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Shady Harbor Fire District (RI1559513) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Shady Harbor Fire District water safe to drink?

Based on EPA records, Shady Harbor Fire District has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.

How many people does Shady Harbor Fire District serve?

Shady Harbor Fire District serves approximately 300 people across 3 ZIP codes in Rhode Island.

Where does Shady Harbor Fire District get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Lead Service Line Inventory

Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:

0
Confirmed Lead
0
Galvanized — Replacement Required
0
Unknown Material
101
Confirmed Non-Lead

This system reports zero confirmed lead service lines in its inventory. Unknown-material counts may still warrant verification.

Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Reported all required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2022-01-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Population served: 300
Reported to Rhode Island

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use a water filter?
Shady Harbor Fire District meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Shady Harbor Fire District serve?
Shady Harbor Fire District serves approximately 300 people with drinking water across 3 ZIP codes.
What is Shady Harbor Fire District's water source?
Shady Harbor Fire District draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of Shady Harbor Fire District's service area?
The Shady Harbor Fire District service area has a median household income of $94,712. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Shady Harbor Fire District get its water?
Shady Harbor Fire District's water is pumped from underground aquifers. 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. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.
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