Local Officials Pleased With UConn Water Supply Decision

By Kaitlin McCallum and John Fitts

The Connecticut Water Company has been selected by the University of Connecticut’s Board of Trustees to provide water to the Storrs campus and neighboring Mansfield. 

The UConn board finalized the decision at its meeting Wednesday after months of public input on three competing proposals.

It’s welcome news to Farmington Valley residents and officials who loudly criticized a plan from the Metropolitan District Commission to supply the water by diverting millions of gallons out of the Farmington River watershed.

“It’s great news for the river and all those people who enjoy it and certainly for the towns for which it’s been a vital part of their community,” said Canton First Selectman Richard Barlow. “Obviously it avoids major conflicts with state policy.”

Barlow feels input made a difference.

“On the engineering and economic merits, clearly the MDC option did not appear to be the best choice,” he said. “However, the MDC was aggressively pushing their option. I think the public input certainly countered their position and was very effective.”

While Barlow and other felt an interbasin transfer would have violated the state plan, they also believe the state needs a clear water use policy.

State Rep. John Hampton said he is meeting with state department of Energy and Environmental Protection officials next week.

“That will be a top priority,” Hampton said. “We need to make sure this never happens again.”

In addition to the public outcry against the MDC plan, the Connecticut Water proposal was found to be the least expensive, fastest to implement and in line with the state’s Plan of Conservation and Development. The company also volunteered to build the infrastructure at no cost to the state in light of the potential for growth.