In Fall 2023, the university embarked on an aggressive strategy to eliminate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the campus drinking water supply. This effort prioritizes community health and complies with new State of Rhode Island legislation regarding drinking water standards related to PFAS.
Our most recent testing indicated no detectable presence of PFAS in our campus drinking water.
Overview
The Rhode Island PFAS in Drinking Water, Groundwater, and Surface Waters Act from 2022 and amended in 2023 requires public water systems in Rhode Island to regularly sample PFAS. The new law set an interim standard for PFAS in drinking water of 20 parts per trillion (ppt) for a total of six PFAS chemicals.
In October 2024, we achieved a major milestone in our efforts to remove PFAS from our water supply. The Rhode Island Department of Health approved the activation of phase one of our new drinking water PFAS filtration system, the first municipal-level system of its kind in the state. The new system removes PFAS to levels significantly below the new legislatively mandated threshold of 20 parts per trillion.
We continue to test the campus drinking water regularly, and will continue to share quarterly updates regarding ongoing PFAS monitoring. Our water quality reports are publicly available.
URI is fortunate to have some of the world’s foremost PFAS experts among our researchers and faculty, leading the way as part of the STEEP Superfund Research Program.
Additional Resources
More information about PFAS is available from the Rhode Island Department of Health and the E.P.A. We have also compiled a list of answers to commonly asked questions about PFAS.