Reed, Whitehouse & Amo Welcome $1 Million for Tiverton Water System Improvements to Address PFAS Contamination

October 1, 2026 Press Release New federal funds will improve Tiverton’s water infrastructure & expand access to reliable water service for homes grappling with PFAS in private wells Tiverton, RI – In an effort to provide vital assistance to Tiverton residents affected by toxic “forever chemicals,” also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and U.S. Representative Gabe Amo (D-RI-01) today welcomed approval of an agreement to provide Tiverton with $1 million through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Emergency Community Water Assistance grant. PFAS are man-made chemicals that are used in industry and consumer products and can lead to serious health effects, reproductive and developmental harms, and weakened immune systems.  These “forever chemicals” can be found in a variety of products related to packaging, carpets, leather products, nonstick coatings and cookware, firefighting foams, and textiles that enhance water, grease and soil repellents. Although major manufacturing of certain PFAS in the U.S. ended over a decade ago, they still exist in the environment and in products due to their slow breakdown process.  Once released into the air, water, or soil, PFAS can easily travel long distances and contaminate rivers, lakes and wells that are used for drinking water. More than one hundred private wells in Tiverton that have been tested to date have exceeded Rhode Island’s 20 parts-per-trillion standard, and testing is still underway. With some wells registering PFAS concentrations above 4,000 parts per trillion, Tiverton families urgently need help accessing safe drinking water and determining the scope and source of this contamination Reed, Whitehouse, and Amo wrote a letter to the head of the USDA on September 8 supporting a request for this funding, which will help launch the installation of an emergency public water line to restore reliable drinking water to homeowners whose private wells have been contaminated with dangerous levels of PFAS. “This is a positive step in a multi-step process that will help address existing water infrastructure issues while extending reliable water service to additional residents.  Scientists and experts are still working to better understand PFAS, their risks, and the extent of the situation in Tiverton and there needs to be continued public outreach so everyone understands the type of assistance available and next steps,” said Senator Reed . “Dangerous levels of PFAS have contaminated Tiverton’s water and put families on edge about their health,” said Senator Whitehouse .  “We have helped secure federal funding for North Tiverton Fire District to install an emergency public water line.  This is an important step forward and I am committed to supporting the town in its efforts to restore safe drinking water and peace of mind to residents.” “Every Rhode Islander should have access to safe, clean drinking water. I’m proud to have fought to secure this federal funding to ensure the North Tiverton Fire District has the tools they need to respond to the PFAS contamination crisis and install an emergency public waterline,” said Congressman Amo . “As Tiverton continues to recover, I will continue working with federal, state, and local leaders to restore safe, clean drinking water, safeguard residents’ health, and prevent further economic disruption to the community.” Earlier this year, the Associated Press reported that: “The Trump administration will soon propose softening Biden-era limits on “forever chemicals” in drinking water, delaying but keeping tough standards for two common types and rescinding limits on some rarer forms of the substance, according to an EPA official.” Full text of the September 8 letter can be found here. ###