Portsmouth Water & Fire District

The Portsmouth Water and Fire District is a quasi-municipal agency established by the Rhode Island General Assembly in 1952. The District is responsible for providing municipal water and fire protection services to approximately 90% of Portsmouth on Aquidneck Island.

The District is governed by an elected seven-member Administrative Board with elections held annually on the second Wednesday of June. While separate from the Town of Portsmouth government, the District collaborates closely with town officials to serve their shared constituents effectively.

Originally named the Island Park and Common Fence Point Fire District, the water distribution system was constructed during the 1950s. In 1956, the name changed to Portsmouth Water and Fire District. Service boundaries expanded in 1965 to include southern Portsmouth, with infrastructure development following in the late 1960s. The Redwood Facilities and Raytheon areas remain outside the District's service area as they receive water from Newport.

Today, the District maintains an extensive system serving 6,638 customers that includes:

• Over 140 miles of pipeline
• 4 water storage tanks
• 2 pumping stations
• 582 fire hydrants

The District purchases wholesale water from the City of Newport and maintains an emergency supply connection with Stone Bridge Fire District in Tiverton. The Administrative Board is committed to providing residents with sufficient quantities of the highest quality water available.

Recent service improvements include:

• Online payment portal for water and tax bills via ACH drafts and credit/debit cards
• Geographic Information System (GIS) implementation for water system mapping
• Property Management System web application for record-keeping and mobile work orders
• Preparation for replacing the 51-year-old Union Street Pumping Station
• Annual water main flushing program based on hydraulic modeling
• Strategic looping of water main extensions to eliminate dead-ends
• Cross-connection control program implementation
• CodeRED emergency notification system

The District encourages public participation in decisions affecting municipal water. Regular Administrative Board meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM at the District office (1944 East Main Road). The public is welcome to attend these meetings.

1. How often is Portsmouth water tested for contaminants? Portsmouth water undergoes rigorous testing on a schedule determined by federal and state regulations, with some tests performed daily and others conducted quarterly or annually.
2. What causes the presence of TTHMs in municipal water? Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) form when chlorine used for disinfection reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in surface water sources.
3. Is Portsmouth's hard water harmful to health? While hard water isn't typically a health concern, it can cause scale buildup in plumbing, reduce soap effectiveness, and affect appliance efficiency.
4. How can residents address water quality concerns? Residents can install appropriate water treatment systems such as whole-house filters, water softeners, or reverse osmosis systems depending on specific water quality issues.