Office of Drinking Water Quality

Public Drinking Water Information

New Source Approval Process

Before:

• A new water system can begin operation, or
• An existing system can begin using a new source of water,

they must satisfy the requirements of the RI Drinking Water Regulations. These include:

• Showing that the source of water will be adequate for their needs;
• Proper well construction;
• The supplier must control the land within the Inner Protective Radius (IPR) of 200' (for bedrock wells) or 400' (for sand or gravel wells);
• The water quality must meet all federal and state standards for potability.

The supplier must also provide:

• Assurance that they have the technical, managerial and financial capacity to run a water system;
• Details concerning well depth, casing depth, pump horsepower and capacity;
• An inventory of all land use within a circle, the size depending on the capacity of the pump.