Is Woonsocket, RI tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for Woonsocket Water Division. 5 PFAS were detected below the limits.
Woonsocket Water Division supplies Woonsocket (45,828 people).
Water system
Woonsocket Water Division
45,828 people · Surface water · EPA ID RI1559518
Buys treated water from Lincoln Water Commission, Town of Cumberland.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA One sample above limit | 1.45 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 6.6 ppb at the 90th percentile (Dec 2025, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 1
Across Rhode Island, 7 of 26 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 6 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Rhode Island results.
Woonsocket homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Woonsocket city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Cumberland 5 mi Pawtucket Water Supply Board Veolia-Na | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| North Providence 10 mi City of Providence | None above limits | 1.7 ppb |
| Pawtucket 11 mi Pawtucket Water Supply Board Veolia-Na | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Johnston 12 mi City of Providence | None above limits | 1.7 ppb |
| Providence 13 mi City of Providence | None above limits | 1.7 ppb |
| East Providence 16 mi City of East Providence | None above limits | 0.3 ppb |
Woonsocket ZIP codes (1)
- 02895
Questions
Is Woonsocket tap water safe to drink?
Woonsocket Water Division had 1 health-based violation since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Woonsocket, RI?
Woonsocket Water Division, which serves 45,828 people.
Does Woonsocket tap water have PFAS?
Woonsocket Water Division had 5 PFAS detected at least once in EPA's 2023–2025 testing, all with averages below the federal limits.
Do Woonsocket homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 83% of Woonsocket homes as built before 1980 (Rhode Island: 71%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Woonsocket Water Division's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.