WESTERLY WATER DEPARTMENT vs PROVIDENCE-CITY OF
Water quality comparison — risk levels, violations, PFAS records, and contaminants
Quick Answer
PROVIDENCE-CITY OF has a lower risk classification (safe). WESTERLY WATER DEPARTMENT has 0 open health-based violations and 406 PFAS records. PROVIDENCE-CITY OF has 0 open health-based violations and 116 PFAS records.
Rhode Island · RI1559512
Low Concern
Minor detections below regulatory limits. Routine monitoring adequate.
0
Open violations
406
PFAS records
Rhode Island · RI1592024
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
0
Open violations
116
PFAS records
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | WESTERLY WATER DEPARTMENT | PROVIDENCE-CITY OF |
|---|---|---|
| State | Rhode Island | Rhode Island |
| Risk Level | Low Concern | No Concerns Detected |
| Population Served | 35,298 | 333,142 |
| Open Health Violations | 0 | 0 |
| Total Violations | 63 | 10 |
| PFAS Records | 406 | 116 |
| Ownership | Local | Local |
| Service Type | Groundwater | Surface water |
| City Served | Westerly | Cranston,Johnston,North Providence,Providence |
Contaminants in Violation Records
WESTERLY WATER DEPARTMENT
- Bromate
- Coliform (TCR)
- Turbidity
PROVIDENCE-CITY OF
- Lead
- Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
- Nitrate
Key Differences
WESTERLY WATER DEPARTMENT has a low risk rating vs. safe for PROVIDENCE-CITY OF.
WESTERLY WATER DEPARTMENT has 406 PFAS records vs. 116 for PROVIDENCE-CITY OF.
What Should I Do?
If either utility shows open violations or elevated PFAS records, consider:
- Installing a reverse osmosis filter — removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, nitrates, and most heavy metals.
- Requesting your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for the most current test results.
- Ordering a certified lab water test if you want contaminant-specific data for your address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is safer — WESTERLY WATER DEPARTMENT or PROVIDENCE-CITY OF?
PROVIDENCE-CITY OF has a lower risk classification (safe). PROVIDENCE-CITY OF has 0 open health-based violations compared to 0 for the other system.
What does "open health-based violation" mean?
An open health-based violation means a water system has exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or failed to meet a treatment technique — and the violation has not yet been resolved. These are the most serious type of water quality violations.
How current is this data?
Violation data comes from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), which is updated as utilities report. PFAS data comes from EPA's UCMR 5 monitoring (2023–2025). Risk levels are recalculated daily.
What does PWSID mean?
PWSID stands for Public Water System ID — a unique federal identifier assigned to each community water system. You can use it to look up a system in EPA's ECHO database.