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PFAS above EPA’s limits in Rhode Island.

7 utilities of the 26 EPA tested in Rhode Island had a sampling location whose PFAS average was above a 2024 limit in its final UCMR 5 data, by EPA’s own method.

The short answer

7 utilities serving 207,864 people, as they report it, had a location averaging above a limit, most often PFOA (7) and PFOS (4). The largest is Kent County Water Authority, whose highest PFOA average was 7.1 ppt, 1.8 times the limit. The furthest above is University of Rhode Island, at 4 times the PFOA limit.

These are EPA’s survey results, not violations: the limits take effect April 26, 2029, and compliance will rest on each utility’s own monitoring. EPA has proposed changes to the rule; as of Oct. 13, 2026, none is final.

Utilities above a limit

Largest first. Each one’s highest location average is for the limit it is furthest above, with the single highest sample of the same PFAS; its report has every result.

Rhode Island utilities above a 2024 PFAS limit
UtilityBased inServesAboveHighest location averageHighest single sample
Kent County Water AuthorityCoventry94,107PFOAPFOA 7.1 ppt1.8 times the limit7.5 ppt
Westerly Water DepartmentWesterly35,298PFOA, PFOSPFOA 7.5 ppt1.9 times the limit9.0 ppt
Town of North KingstownNorth Kingstown27,732PFOA, PFOSPFOA 7.7 ppt1.9 times the limit8.1 ppt
Town of CumberlandCumberland21,235PFOA, PFOSPFOS 5.5 ppt1.4 times the limit6.7 ppt
University of Rhode IslandSouth Kingstown19,354PFOA, PFOSPFOA 16 ppt4 times the limit16 ppt
South Kingstown - South ShoreSouth Kingstown6,170PFOAPFOA 6.1 ppt1.5 times the limit6.1 ppt
Kingston Water DistrictSouth Kingstown3,968PFOAPFOA 5.3 ppt1.3 times the limit6.2 ppt

3 more utilities in Rhode Island had a single sample above a limit but no location average above, so they are not listed; each report shows the sample.

Results: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data, file of Oct. 15, 2026, samples from Jan. 3, 2023 to June 17, 2026, averaged by sampling location as EPA’s final UCMR 5 data summary does. Every state, and the full data as a CSV; how this list is made. People served is what each utility reports.

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