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EPA Provides $345,000 for Drinking Water Security to Three Connecticut Utilities

Release Date: 07/25/2002
Contact Information: Andrew Spejewski, EPA Press Office, 617-918-1014

HARTFORD – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced three grants of $115,000 each to support drinking water security planning and emergency preparedness in Connecticut. The grants will go to the City of Waterbury Water Department; the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority in the New Haven region and the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) in the Hartford region.

The grants will be used to assess the vulnerability of drinking water systems to attack or other emergencies, to design security improvements, and prepare emergency response plans. Recent federal legislation -- the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 – requires utilities to conduct vulnerability assessments and prepare emergency response plans according to specific timetables.

"We're proud of the work that's been accomplished by water utilities to secure drinking water supplies since September 11," said Jane Downing, associate director for drinking water of EPA's New England Office, who announced the grants at a drinking water security workshop in Hartford. "These grants will help continue that progress and ensure that water utilities can maintain the delivery of safe drinking water to the people of Connecticut."

"We are very pleased and grateful to receive this grant," said Albert F. Reichin, chairman of the MDC. "It will be extremely helpful to the MDC in our continuing effort to ensure that our system provides the best service possible to our customers."

"These federal funds will go a long way towards ensuring that the Regional Water authority is prepared in case of an emergency or attack,"said Tom Chaplik, vice president of water quality for the Regional Water Authority. "The grant allows us to determine our strengths and ensure that our weaknesses are reduced further."

"Since September 11, security has been a high priority issue, and the City of Waterbury's Emergency Preparedness Committee has met many times to review security and response measures," said Kenneth R. Scov, Superintendent of Water for the City of Waterbury. "This EPA grant will allow us to more thoroughly evaluate our water system to determine where enhancements to the existing security system can be made to further protect our water supply against potential threats."

The three systems receiving grants together supply nearly 1 million people with over 120 million gallons per day of treated drinking water.

In the wake of September 11, EPA has been working closely with states and utilities to improve drinking water security. The agency has trained more than 1,000 operators at 16 workshops across the region, including today's workshop which was jointly sponsored by EPA, the New England Water Works Association, and the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

The South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority serves all or portions of Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, East Haven, Hamden, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, West Haven and Woodbridge.

The Metropolitan District Commission serves Bloomfield, East Hartford, Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Wethersfield and Windsor and portions of other towns in the region.

Today's grants are part of $53 million EPA is awarding nationwide for drinking water security at large systems. EPA is also awarding $5 million to states to enhance state water security coordination, and expects to make approximately $17 million available to states to assist small- and medium-sized systems with drinking water security.