Rhode Island Department of HealthState of Rhode Island
Department of Health
Rhode Island Department of HealthState of Rhode Island
Department of Health
Lead in drinking water can cause lead exposure and lifelong health problems. Drinking water is rarely the primary cause of lead exposure in Rhode Island. Children are most often exposed to lead through lead-based paint and paint dust found in a home, especially if it was built before 1978. In 2023, the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), the University of Rhode Island (URI) Cooperative Extension Water Quality Program and the Rhode Island Department of Health collaborated to develop a voluntary, statewide program to test the drinking water in K-12 schools for lead. Read more about the project.
Lead is measured in water in parts per billion (ppb). Depending on the results, there are actions that schools can take to lower lead levels in the water or keep them low.
As part of the study, multiple samples were taken at each location. These samples are labeled first draw and second draw in the “Type” column.
The data shown here are from a statewide assessment using a consistent method to test. For more information on how samples were collected and tested, visit the Lead in Schools 2023 page, or contact your school. Contact your school for additional information, such as other testing efforts or samples taken as part of remediation efforts.