Sewer connection in South County, Rhode Island

When Rhode Island requires a sewer connection

State law points to sewer in two main cases. At sale, a cesspool must be replaced with a septic system or connected to public sewer within 12 months (§ 23-19.15-12). And under Tier 2 of the Cesspool Act, a property with a sewer stub had to connect by January 1, 2014.

That Tier 2 rule sits in § 23-19.15-6, alongside Tier 1 (failed cesspools abandoned within one year of discovery) and Tier 3 (cesspools within the 200-foot zones abandoned by January 1, 2014). RIDEM says any cesspools still in those areas are in violation. If a stub already reaches your lot, connecting is usually the obvious route. The full rules are on our Rhode Island cesspool law page.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Where public sewer runs in South County

Five South County communities have public sewer in parts of town: Westerly, Narragansett, South Kingstown, North Kingstown and Block Island. Service covers parts of each town, not every street, so some homes in each still rely on onsite systems. We did not find municipal sewer service in Exeter, Hopkinton or Richmond.

Charlestown manages wastewater through its onsite program under Code Chapter 210 rather than a sewer system. In every town, confirm availability for your exact address with the sewer office before planning a connection.

Westerly sewers and unsewered neighborhoods

Westerly's sewer system flows to the Margin Street treatment facility. Its 2015 facilities plan amendment reports that sewers reached Babcock and most of the Apache Drive and Ledward Avenue area, while Misquamicut, Avondale/Chin Hill and Mt. Moriah/Springbrook Avenue remain unsewered and no new extensions are planned.

For Misquamicut, the plan recommends continued onsite treatment instead of sewers, estimating about $34,000 per property to sewer versus about $30,000 per lot for advanced onsite systems. Where sewer is available, Westerly Utilities bills $356 per livable unit per year, whether or not the property is connected. More on the Westerly septic and sewer rules.

Narragansett and South Kingstown: the regional plant

Narragansett has two treatment plants. The Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility serves the North End and Pier area, and the Scarborough plant on Ocean Road serves the southern part of town. To check a specific lot, use the town's Sewer Inquiry Form, handled by the Wastewater Division.

The same regional plant at 275 Westmoreland Street in Narragansett treats flow from portions of South Kingstown and from URI, which arrives through a gravity system and 12 pump stations (South Kingstown wastewater). South Kingstown does not publish neighborhood sewer boundaries online, so ask the town about your address. Note that Narragansett's septic loan program excludes sewered areas (town CSSLP page).

North Kingstown: Wickford and Post Road sewers

North Kingstown built its sewers in stages. The Southern Post Road sewer was completed in 2013, voters approved the Northern Post Road sewer in June 2014, and Wickford Village sewers were predominantly complete by November 2018, according to the town's sewer history. Costs are borne by users, and tie-in is optional for residents.

Optional does not mean the state rules go away. If you sell a house with a cesspool, the one-year rule still applies, and a sewer tie-in is one way to meet it. Outside the sewer areas, the town's wastewater management program requires inspections at least every three years. See the North Kingstown page for local detail.

Block Island's sewer district

The New Shoreham sewer district covers all of Old Harbor and New Harbor as far west as Champlin's Marina, plus the Spring House, the school, the medical center, Town Hall, and Corn Neck Road as far as the Beach Head. The plant opened in 1978 and was upgraded in 2008.

The rest of the island relies on onsite systems under the town's wastewater management program, which requires inspections at least once every three years. Summer demand on the district is far higher than winter, so ask the district early about any new connection.

Paying for a sewer tie-in

RIDEM's 2015 FAQ estimated a sewer tie-in at $2,000 to $4,000; that figure is dated, and your quote will depend on the distance to the main and the site. RIHousing's Sewer Tie-In Loan Fund lends up to $10,000 over up to 5 years, and its participants include Westerly and New Shoreham.

North Kingstown's Community Sewer Tie-In Loan Fund appears on RIDEM's FY2026 project priority list, which is a planning list, not confirmed funding. Always confirm current terms with your town or RIHousing. If sewer is not available, the Rhode Island septic loan guide covers the Community Septic System Loan Program. Call 401-535-7951 for a free estimate.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Retiring the old cesspool or tank

Connecting to sewer is only half the job. The old cesspool or septic tank has to be properly removed or abandoned under § 6.56 of RIDEM's OWTS rules. Ask your town and installer what the local sign-off requires, and keep the paperwork with your deed records.

If sewer is not an option for your lot, the usual alternatives are a new septic system or, near the salt ponds, a nitrogen-reducing design. See cesspool replacement, septic system replacement, or browse all septic services. You can also contact us to talk through your options.