  Levels in $^{17}$O affect the astrophysical s-process in two opposite ways.
The neutron production is enhanced by resonances in the
$^{13}$C($\alpha$,$n$)$^{16}$O reaction at excitation energies around 7 MeV in
$^{17}$O, and the number of available neutrons is reduced by low-lying
resonances in the $^{16}$O($n$,$\gamma$)$^{17}$O reaction corresponding to
levels in $^{17}$O with excitation energies of $4-5$ MeV. The present work uses
the $^{19}$F($d$,$\alpha$)$^{17}$O reaction to determine absolute widths of the
relevant levels in $^{17}$O. The results improve the uncertainties of the
previously adopted values and resolve a discrepancy between recent studies for
the $1/2^+$ level close to the threshold of the $^{13}$C($\alpha$,$n$)$^{16}$O
reaction. In addition, improved excitation energies and widths are provided for
several states in $^{17}$O up to excitation energies close to 8 MeV.
