Water quality information

Sept. 5, 2023

Important information about your drinking water

In June 2022, the State of Rhode Island approved legislation setting a new interim drinking water standard related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Rhode Island is among the first states in the nation to implement a PFAS standard.

Historically, PFAS levels in well water at the University of Rhode Island have met U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidance values and Rhode Island drinking water standards.

Our Kingston Campus water system recently reported concentrations of PFAS above the state’s new interim drinking water standard of 20 parts per trillion (ppt). While there is not an immediate risk, as members of our community, you have a right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct the situation.

We routinely monitor for the presence of drinking water contaminants. Results from testing conducted in June 2023 and July 2023 show that our system reported an average concentration of 29 ppt, which is above the state’s interim standard for PFAS.

The results are listed in the public notice available at uri.edu/pfas-information.

What should I do?

  • According to the Rhode Island Department of Health, you do not need to use an alternative water supply (e.g., bottled water). The Department of Health issues do-not-drink notices only for systems with test results of 70 ppt or more. The University’s system is well below that level (at an average concentration of 29 ppt).
  • If you have specific health concerns, please consult your health care provider.

What does this mean?

  • This is not an immediate risk. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately.
  • According to the Rhode Island Department of Health, nearly everyone has a low level of PFAS in their blood. People can be exposed to PFAS by eating food, drinking water, accidentally ingesting dust, or breathing air polluted with PFAS.
  • The Department of Health indicates that routine showering, bathing, and swimming are not a major source of exposure to PFAS. More information is available at health.ri.gov/water/about/pfas/.
  • Studies have shown that PFAS builds up in the body and can have negative health effects. For more information about PFAS and its health effects, visit health.ri.gov/healthrisks/contaminants/about/pfas/.

What is being done?

  • We are implementing upgrades to the water system that are designed to reduce PFAS to levels well below the Rhode Island interim drinking water standard.
  • We are installing point-of-use filtration systems, aimed at reducing PFAS levels, at multiple locations throughout the Kingston Campus. While it is not necessary to utilize locations with added filtration, we are making those available to our community. An interactive map indicating those locations is available on the University’s designated PFAS website.
  • We are designing and building a new water treatment facility planned to reduce PFAS to levels well below the state’s interim drinking water standard.

Where can I learn more?

Any health-related questions should be directed to your health care provider.

For more information about PFAS and answers to frequently asked questions, visit the Rhode Island Department of Health site at health.ri.gov/healthrisks/contaminants/about/pfas/.

For questions about URI’s water system, please contact Matthew Simeone, water system manager, at matthew_simeone@uri.edu.