R.I. Gen. Laws § 45-39-4: Payment for hydrant rentals.

Notwithstanding any general or special law relating to publicly owned water authorities, a municipality may provide by enactment of an ordinance and complying with the notice requirements of § 39-3-11.1, that the rental usage or fees for any fire hydrant within the municipality shall be the responsibility of the water ratepayers within the municipality which enacted the enabling ordinance, provided that this provision shall apply only where the municipality owns the water supplier and is the exclusive supplier of public water within the municipality.