Public water system · RI1559512
ActiveWesterly Water Department
At a glance
Westerly Water Department (PWSID RI1559512) is an active community water system in Washington County, Rhode Island. It reports serving 35,298 people through 14,800 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
35,298
Service connections
14,800
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Westerly Water Department compare with other water systems in Washington County?
By EPA's size categories, Westerly Water Department is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Washington County has 188 active public water systems, and Westerly Water Department is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 35 times the county average of 1,022 people per system, and accounts for 18% of the 192,066 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Rhode Island, the 465 active systems average 2,508 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Westerly Water Department is about 5.3 times that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Rhode Island has 89 active community water systems, 19% of the state's 465 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 428 Rhode Island systems (92%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Westerly Water Department?
EPA lists Westerly Water Department as owned by a local government. The RI state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 26 of the 188 active systems in Washington County (14%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Westerly Water Department have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025. The violations listed here began between July 2024 and January 2025. By type: 12 monitoring and reporting. The contaminants or rules involved are Lead and Copper Rule, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene and Carbon tetrachloride. EPA lists 11 as resolved and 1 as unaddressed. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed. Unaddressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is not yet covered by formal enforcement.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingInitial, Follow-up, or Routine Source Water M/R · code 56 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,1,2-Trichloroethanecode 2985 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | cis-1,2-Dichloroethylenecode 2380 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Carbon tetrachloridecode 2982 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | trans-1,2-Dichloroethylenecode 2979 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Dichloromethanecode 2964 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,1,1-Trichloroethanecode 2981 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,1-Dichloroethylenecode 2977 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzenecode 2378 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | p-Dichlorobenzenecode 2969 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | o-Dichlorobenzenecode 2968 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | 1,2-Dichloropropanecode 2983 | No | Resolved |
The 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Westerly Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Westerly Water Department?
Westerly Water Department (PWSID RI1559512) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the RI state drinking water program.
How many people does Westerly Water Department serve?
Westerly Water Department reports serving 35,298 people through 14,800 service connections in Washington County, Rhode Island.
Where does Westerly Water Department get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does Westerly Water Department have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Westerly Water Department's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the RI state drinking water program.
Where can I find Westerly Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Westerly Water Department must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Washington County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Kingstown Town of | Washington | 27,732 | Community | Groundwater |
| Veolia Water Wakefield Rhode Island Inc. | Washington | 22,347 | Community | Groundwater |
| University of Rhode Island | Washington | 19,354 | Community | Groundwater |
| Quonset Business Park | Washington | 13,000 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Block Island Water Company | Washington | 9,999 | Community | Groundwater |
| Narragansett Water System-Point Judith | Washington | 8,210 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Westerly Water Department, PWSID RI1559512, Rhode Island”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/rhode-island/westerly-water-department-ri1559512 (data as of October 1, 2026).