About the Program
The Newport Water Division (NWD) is committed to providing safe, clean, and reliable drinking water to every customer. Our water consistently meets or exceeds all state and federal standards, and we continuously monitor the system to ensure top-quality water reaches your tap.
Like many other aging cities and water systems, the water distribution system consists of older houses and buildings constructed before 1987, which can have lead service lines (LSLs), fixtures, and solder. While the water leaving our treatment plant is lead-free, lead can enter the water through corrosion in LSLs.
To minimize this risk, NWD uses proven corrosion control treatment methods in accordance with EPA guidelines. You can learn more about how lead can enter drinking water by visiting the EPA’s Basic Information About Lead in Drinking Water page.
Although most lead exposure comes from paint, dust, and soil, the EPA estimates that 10 to 20 percent of a person’s exposure may come from drinking water. This is particularly concerning for infants and young children, who absorb lead more easily than adults.
To protect public health and meet new federal and state requirements, NWD has implemented the Lead Service Line Management Program, which will identify and verify the material of every service line in Newport to inform replacement efforts.
What NWD Is Doing
As part of NWD’s commitment to reducing lead exposure, the Department is actively working on the following:
Customer participation is essential to the success of this program. By checking and reporting the material of your service line, NWD can better plan future service line replacement projects.
Steps to Identify Your Service Line
Use the four steps below to determine your service line material and report it to the Newport Water Division. Both the public side (city-owned) and private side (property-owned) are mapped separately. They are not always the same material; if you received two letters indicating different types of service line material, that is normal.
- Look up your address on the Service Line Material Lookup Map below. Use the search feature in the top left corner. The map shows the known or estimated material of your service line on both the public and private sides.
- Read your classification. Service line materials are categorized as known or unknown:
- Known service lines are labeled Lead or Not Lead.
- Unknown service lines are labeled Likely Lead, Unlikely Lead, or Unknown.
- If your line is Likely Lead, Unlikely Lead, Unknown, or Galvanized, perform a Material Verification Test on the water service line where it connects to the water meter. The test requires only a coin, house key, or flathead screwdriver, and a magnet. Step-by-step instructions are available at the Material Verification Test link.
- Submit your findings using the online survey (also linked from the Service Line Material Map). Include your address, your test result (even if you cannot determine the material), and a photo of the service line where it enters your building.
Galvanized service lines: Under the EPA Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), a galvanized service line that is currently or was previously located downstream of a lead service line is classified as Galvanized Requiring Replacement (GRR) and is treated as a lead service line for replacement and customer notification purposes. If your service line is mapped as galvanized and the public side has been or is currently a lead service line, your service line is included in the Lead Service Line Replacement Program. Customers with GRR service lines receive the same notifications, filter pitcher, and replacement priority as customers with lead service lines.
Service Line Material Lookup Map
Use the search feature in the top left corner to look up your address in the Newport Water Division service area. Long-term renters and owners are encouraged to check and report their service line material.
Possible results may include:
Next Steps
After you submit your information, NWD staff will review your report:
- If the material cannot be confirmed, NWD will schedule a site inspection.
- If your service line is confirmed to contain lead, or is classified as Galvanized Requiring Replacement (GRR), you will receive a LIFESTRAW water filter pitcher (with extra filters for six months of use) and educational materials on minimizing exposure.
If the material of your service line is unknown and you do not elect to take the survey, call 401-845-5600 or email LeadInfo@NewportRI.gov to request an inspection.
Please note: due to high inquiry volumes, response times may vary.
Tips to Reduce Lead Exposure
Follow these EPA-recommended steps if your home may have lead service lines:
Run your water to flush out lead
If water has not been used for over six hours, run water from your kitchen tap or whatever tap you use for drinking and cooking at a moderate rate for 3 to 5 minutes until it becomes cold or reaches a steady temperature before drinking or cooking. This process will help flush lead-containing water from the pipes. To conserve water, you can fill multiple containers after flushing for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula.
Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, young children, and formula-fed infants
should use bottled drinking water at homes where lead has been detected at levels greater than 15 ppb.
Use cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula
Do not cook with or drink hot water from the tap; lead dissolves more easily into hot water.
Do not use water from the hot water tap to make baby formula.
Do not boil water to remove lead
Boiling water will not reduce lead.
Look for alternative sources or treatment of water
Consider purchasing bottled water or additional filters. Visit the NSF website to view certified product listings for lead reduction and information on production standards. You can also contact NSF via email (info@nsf.org) or phone (800-673-8010).
Install lead-free faucets and fixtures
Look for lead certification marks indicating the new product is lead-free, then replace all old faucets and fixtures.
Clean your faucet aerators
Sediment, rust, and metals, including lead, may collect in the aerator screen located at the tip of your faucets. These screens should be removed and cleaned regularly.
Test your child’s blood lead level
If you are concerned about exposure, contact your child’s healthcare provider or the Rhode Island Department of Health information line (401-222-5960) to find out how to get your child tested for lead.
Additional Information Resources
- EPA: Revised Lead and Copper Rule
- This website explains the recent revisions made to the Lead and Copper Rule.
- RIDOH: Lead Poisoning Prevention Act
- This website details amendments to the act and the additional requirements.
- EPA: Protect Your Tap: A Quick Check for Lead
- This website details how to determine the material of your service line. Directions are also available in Spanish and Portuguese.
- EPA: Lead in Drinking Water
- This EPA infographic explains the sources of lead in drinking water and offers practical advice on reducing exposure and replacing service lines.
- CDC: Preventing Childhood Lead Poisoning
- This website from the CDC is a comprehensive guide to preventing childhood lead poisoning, covering all potential sources of lead exposure and levels of prevention.
- Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative: Lead in Water and Full Lead Service Line Replacement
If you have further questions regarding lead in your drinking water, contact the Department at (401) 845-5600 or LeadInfo@NewportRI.gov.
If you have further questions regarding these regulations, contact the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), Center for Drinking Water Quality at (401) 222-6867 or DOH.RIDWQ@health.ri.gov.
