Exeter Water


Exeter, RI resides within the Wood-Pawcatuck watershed. The Pawcatuck is designated a sole-source aquifer which means groundwater is the only source of drinking water for the 6,045 (2000) people living in Exeter.

Click map to enlarge image.

The above map outlines the parts of Exeter that reside within a groundwater recharge area, groundwater aquifer, and the locations of the 27 private wells that serve more than 5 people. Not mapped are the locations of the individual family wells that serve most of the citizens in Exeter.

Major sources of contamination are individual waste management systems, like septic systems and cesspools. This is an important place where homeowners in Exeter can get involved.

Wellhead in the Epley Reserve

Wood River in the Eppley Reserve

 

Stream and river quality are closely linked to groundwater in this watershed. Therefore, the protection of the areas around these surface water resources is essential to protecting the watershed's drinking water and the habitat of the many species that make the Wood-Pawcatuck their home.

For information about some of the terms used to describe water, please see our Water Glossary.