Rhode Island packs 39 cities and towns into the smallest state in the country, yet its utility landscape is far from uniform. A Providence resident gets water from a city supply board. A Smithfield homeowner may belong to one of two separate water districts. A Burrillville customer can buy electricity from a local utility district instead of the large regional company. This page lists 21 utility offices across the state, from water boards to a power generator, and explains who runs what so you can reach the right desk on the first call.

Who Regulates Utilities in Rhode Island

Utility law in Rhode Island sits mainly in Title 39 of the Rhode Island General Laws. Two bodies share the work, and residents often mix them up. The Public Utilities Commission is a three-member panel that sets rates, approves tariffs and decides formal disputes. Our directory lists it as the State of Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission, 89 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick, phone 401-941-4500.

The Division of Public Utilities and Carriers is a separate office inside the Department of Business Regulation. It represents consumers in rate cases, enforces safety and service rules, and takes many first-level complaints. If a bill looks wrong, the Division is usually the faster route. If you want a formal ruling on a rate or a shutoff, the commission is the body that decides.

Not every provider answers to the state in the same way. Investor-owned companies file their rates with the commission. Large water systems, including the Providence Water Supply Board, also bring rate requests there. Smaller town departments and water districts are governed mainly by town councils or their own boards. Check which kind of provider you have before you complain, because the answer decides where your complaint should go.

A simple escalation path works well in Rhode Island:

Water Supply and Sewer Service Across Rhode Island

Water is where the state's utility map gets complicated. The Providence Water Supply Board, at 552 Academy Avenue in Providence (401-521-5070), is the largest supplier in the state and draws from the Scituate Reservoir. It also sells water wholesale to neighboring systems. Nearby, the Pawtucket Water Supply Board on Branch Street (401-729-5000) and the Lincoln Water Commission on Old River Road (401-334-6735) run their own local operations.

Smithfield shows how small the boundaries can be. The East Smithfield Water District at 307 Waterman Avenue (401-231-6990) and the Greenville Water District at 630 Putnam Pike (401-231-1433) both serve parts of the same town. Which one bills you depends on your street, not on the town hall. Tiverton has a similar split, with the Tiverton Water Department on Hilton Street (401-624-8432) and the Stone Bridge Water Authority on Main Road (401-624-4486).

Along the east side of Narragansett Bay, the Bristol County Water Authority operates from two Warren addresses on Child Street. The main line is 401-245-2022, and the production and distribution departments are listed at 472 Child Street, 401-245-5071. Try the production and distribution line for main breaks, pressure problems and discolored water, and the main number for billing and accounts.

In South County, the Kingston Water District (3501 Kingstown Road, 401-783-5494) and a United Water Rhode Island office on Arnold Street in South Kingstown (401-789-0271) appear in our listings. Westerly runs its own Town Water Department on White Rock Road (401-348-2559). In Newport, listings include United Water at 250 Connell Highway (401-845-2000) and Newport Water Billing at 70 Halsey Street (401-845-5604). Confirm which office handles your account, since company names and contracts change over time.

Sewer service is often a separate bill and a separate agency. The Warwick Sewer Authority, at 125 Arthur W Devine Boulevard (401-468-4710), handles wastewater in Warwick. In the Providence area, the Narragansett Bay Commission treats sewage for several cities. Drinking water quality is overseen by the Rhode Island Department of Health, and every public water system must publish an annual water quality report that you can request from your provider.

Electricity, Gas and Power Generation in the Ocean State

Most Rhode Island households receive electricity and natural gas delivery from Rhode Island Energy, the company that took over the former National Grid service in the state in 2022. Customers can choose a competitive electricity supplier, but the local utility still delivers power, answers outage calls and owns the poles and wires. Gas leaks and downed lines should always go to emergency numbers first, not to a billing office.

Pascoag Utility District, at 253 Pascoag Main Street in Burrillville (401-568-6223), is a locally run alternative. It is a district rather than a large company, so customers there deal with a local board and local staff. If you live in Burrillville, check your bill to see which utility sends it.

Our listings also include power producers. Tiverton Power Associates LP on Progress Way in Tiverton (401-624-4300) and P G & E Generating on Point Street in Providence (401-457-0507) are generating-side entries, not household service desks. They are useful for context and for businesses dealing with plant operations, but household billing questions belong with your distribution utility.

Rossi Electric Co Inc in Johnston (401-944-1853) and Orlando Electric Corporation in Smithfield (401-231-9094) appear to be electrical contractors rather than utilities. In Rhode Island, electricians are licensed through the state, so ask for a license number and a written estimate before any panel, service upgrade or meter-base work. Your utility will usually need to disconnect and reconnect service for that kind of job.

Providence Metro, Aquidneck Island and South County Compared

Rhode Island's five counties are geographic labels only. The state has no county government, so utility service is delivered by cities, towns, districts and private companies. Use the county pages to browse listings by area rather than to look for a county utility office.

Providence County holds the largest share of our listings, with water boards in Providence, Pawtucket, Lincoln and Smithfield plus Pascoag in the northwest. Dense service areas mean more providers and quicker repair crews, but also more overlapping bills. Newport County covers Newport and Tiverton, where water is handled by separate local organizations. Summer tourism raises demand in Newport.

Washington County, known locally as South County, is more rural. Public systems such as the Kingston Water District and Westerly's town department serve the village centers, while private wells and septic systems are common elsewhere. Bristol County is small, and its water service is anchored by the Bristol County Water Authority in Warren. Kent County includes Warwick, where the state's utility commission and the sewer authority are both based, so formal regulatory business happens there.

Hours and walk-in rules vary. Many offices take payments by mail, online or by phone, and some counters close for lunch. Call ahead before driving across the state, and ask whether you need a photo ID or a recent bill.

Municipal utility departments throughout Rhode Island provide electricity, water, sewer, and related services to millions of residents and businesses. Utility governance in Rhode Island is shaped by the state's public utility commission, which regulates investor-owned utilities, while municipally owned systems operate under local authority.

Utilities locations are available in 12 cities across Rhode Island. They are spread across 5 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of utility offices include Smithfield, Tiverton, South Kingstown, reflecting their larger populations and service area demands.

Rhode Island residents should contact their local utility provider directly for account setup, billing questions, and outage reporting. State-level utility assistance programs may also be available through the state's health and human services agency.

Utilities by Counties

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Rhode Island residents who need help paying utility bills may qualify for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), administered through the state's community services offices. Contact your local utility provider to inquire about budget billing, shut-off protection, and additional assistance programs available in your area.

Browse Utilities by county across Rhode Island to find your local utility department's contact information and service office locations.

Before You Contact a Rhode Island Utility Office

Because Rhode Island is so compact, you can often reach the right office by phone and settle things in one call. Still, a few preparations save time. Have the service address, the account number from your latest bill, and the name on the account. Landlords and tenants should know who holds the account, since water and sewer bills in older multi-unit buildings often go to the property owner.

When you move, call the water provider, the electric distributor and any gas supplier separately, a week or more ahead. A final meter reading is usually scheduled by phone. Bring a photo ID and your lease or closing papers if you visit in person, for example at the Providence Water Supply Board on Academy Avenue or the Kingston Water District on Kingstown Road.

Winter matters here. Heating costs in a New England climate are high, and Rhode Island has consumer protections around shutoffs and payment plans. Ask your provider about hardship arrangements, and ask your local community action agency about heating assistance before a balance grows.

Many listings in this directory are districts or departments with small staffs. Small providers such as the East Smithfield Water District or the Stone Bridge Water Authority may keep short counter hours, so confirm before you drive over.

Questions Rhode Island Residents Ask About Utilities

Start with the provider's customer service line and ask for a supervisor if the first answer does not settle it. Request a written response and keep your bills. If the dispute remains open, contact the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers, which handles consumer complaints against regulated utilities. For a formal ruling, the Public Utilities Commission at 89 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick, phone 401-941-4500, hears contested matters. Municipal water departments and districts, such as the Tiverton Water Department or the Lincoln Water Commission, are overseen by their own boards, so also bring the issue to the board or the town clerk in writing.

Smithfield is served by the East Smithfield Water District at 307 Waterman Avenue and the Greenville Water District at 630 Putnam Pike. Rhode Island has several small, separate water districts, and their boundaries follow streets and neighborhoods rather than town lines. The quickest check is your most recent water bill, which names the provider. If you have no bill, call either district with your street address, and staff can confirm whether you fall inside their service area. Tiverton follows a similar pattern, split between the Tiverton Water Department and the Stone Bridge Water Authority.

In most of the state, yes. Rhode Island allows residential customers to buy electricity from a competitive supplier, but the local distribution company still delivers the power, responds to outages and maintains the lines. If you do not choose, you receive standard offer service from the utility. Before switching, compare the price per kilowatt-hour, the contract length and any early termination fee, and confirm the supplier is registered to sell in Rhode Island. Customers of the Pascoag Utility District in Burrillville should ask the district directly which options apply, since it is a local district rather than the large regional utility.

Your water provider is responsible for delivering safe water, and the Rhode Island Department of Health oversees public water systems and their monitoring requirements. Every public system must issue an annual water quality report, so ask your provider for the latest one. Many post it online or send it with a bill. Homes on private wells are outside that system. Owners in rural parts of Washington County and elsewhere should test their own water regularly, and the Department of Health can point to certified laboratories. For discolored water or low pressure, call the distribution side of your provider first.

Call your utility before the balance becomes overdue and ask about a payment plan or hardship arrangement. Rhode Island rules give customers certain shutoff protections, including for households with a medical certification and during the coldest months, so ask the utility to explain what applies to you. For help with the bill itself, the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is delivered in the state through local community action agencies, and income limits apply. The Division of Public Utilities and Carriers can also explain your rights if you receive a shutoff notice. Keep every notice and respond before the date printed on it.

Call 811 before any digging project, including fence posts, trees and patios. In Rhode Island the call goes to Dig Safe, the one-call center that notifies the owners of buried gas, electric, water, sewer and telecom lines so they can mark them. The service is free, and you must wait for the marks before breaking ground. Do not guess how deep a line runs, and use hand tools close to any marked area. Striking a gas main or service line is dangerous and can leave neighbors without service, so the short wait is worth it even for a small project.