PRESS RELEASE - WATER TESTING

 PFAS Well Water Contamination on Crandall Road   

The Town of Tiverton was recently made aware by residents that the Rhode Island Department of 

Environmental Management was conducting testing of private wells in the area around Crandall Road 

and Bolduc Lane as part of a statewide grant program to detect PFAS levels in drinking water.

On July 01, 2026, the Town requested and held a virtual conference call during which DEM informed 

us that several private well tests had found PFAS levels exceeding acceptable limits. DEM is 

continuing testing in the area to determine the extent of private wells affected. Properties 

serviced by the North Tiverton Fire District are not at risk.

This week, the Town held a virtual conference call with DEM and representatives of the Rhode Island 

Department of Health to provide an update on current testing and to discuss next steps.

DEM is working to provide water filtration systems to affected residents and continues to test 

private wells.

The Town asks that all residents with private wells on Crandall Road near Tiverton Fire Department 

Station 3 contact the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to schedule a free PFAS 

water test. This specifically applies to those with private wells:

1. On Crandall Road and associated side roads between Bulgarmarsh Road and Pershing Avenue;

2. On Bulgarmarsh Road and associated side roads between Indian Hill Road and Luke Drive

3. On Stafford Road between Bulgarmarsh Road and Bliss Four Corners Congregational Church.

Testing to date has shown that there are no known impacts beyond these specific areas.

What Are PFAS?

PFAS are a large family of man-made chemicals found in many everyday products, including nonstick 

cookware, stain-resistant clothing, food packaging, and certain firefighting foams. Because they do 

not easily break down in the environment or the human body, PFAS can accumulate over time and pose 

potential health risks, including

higher cholesterol, increased risk of certain cancers (including kidney cancer),

weakened immune response, lower infant birth weight, and complications during

pregnancy.

PFAS are odorless, colorless, and tasteless — the only way to know if your well water is affected 

is to have it tested.

About the Free Testing Program

RIDEM personnel will visit homes door-to-door and collect drinking water samples, typically from an 

outside spigot. Each visit takes no longer than 30 minutes.

Homeowners will receive a copy of their laboratory results upon completion of testing.

The State of Rhode Island has set a standard of 20 parts per trillion (ppt) for the combined total 

of six PFAS compounds: PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFHpA, and PFDA. If a resident’s well water tests 

above this standard, RIDEM will coordinate the installation of a water treatment system at no cost 

to the homeowner. Treatment options include activated carbon filtration and reverse osmosis 

systems. Homeowners should be aware that future operation and maintenance costs for any installed 

system will be their responsibility.

This no-cost testing and treatment opportunity is made possible through limited federal grant 

funding. RIDEM strongly encourages all eligible residents to take advantage of this program.

How to Participate

Residents that fall within the area specified above and are interested in having their well water 

sampled, or who have questions about the process, should contact RIDEM directly:

Kirsten Nunn, Environmental Engineer IV Office of Land Revitalization and Sustainable Material 

Management, RIDEM Email: Kirsten.Nunn@dem.ri.gov Phone:

(401) 537-4357

Additional Resources

For more information about PFAS in Rhode Island drinking water:health.ri.gov/pfas

To find a state-certified lab for independent testing, visit: health.ri.gov/find/labs/drinking 

water.

Additional guidance on well water safety is available through the University of Rhode Island 

Private Well Extension Program at web.uri.edu/safe water or by calling (401)

874-5398.