R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-15-1
Whenever the electors of any town, qualified to vote upon questions of taxation or involving the expenditure of money, shall have voted, at a town meeting called for that purpose, to provide a water supply for the inhabitants of the town, or for some part thereof; or whenever any town shall enter or shall have entered into any contract with any person or corporation to furnish the town with a water supply (a contract which towns are hereby authorized to make), then the town, or the person or corporation bound to fulfill the contract, as the case may be, may take, condemn, hold, use, and permanently appropriate any land, water, rights of water and of way, necessary and proper to be used in furnishing or enlarging any such water supply, including sites and materials for dams, reservoirs, pumping stations, and for coal houses, with a right-of-way thereto, and a right-of-way for water pipes along and across public highways, and through private lands, and including also lands covered or to be flowed by water, or to be in any other way used in furnishing, enlarging, or maintaining any water supply. And if any change in any highway shall be required for the accommodation of the water supply, then the town, person, or corporation may alter the grade of the highway or construct a bridge therein, under the direction of the town council of the town where the change is made, and as far as may be needful, first giving bond with surety satisfactory to a justice of the superior court, if requested, conditioned to reimburse the town for every expense and damage occasioned by a change of grade or other change in the highway.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-15-1