Sediment and rust can collect in water mains. This can discolor water, cause undesirable tastes and odors, and over time impede the flow of water through the main. The mains are flushed by operating valves in the street and opening hydrants to force the flow of water in one direction to properly flush the water main.

SOUTH CENTRAL CONNECTICUT
REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITY

Peter Bocciarelli
Purchasing Manager

Water is a key element of a prosperous, healthy community. It is a symbol of our region’s bounty and a resource on which citizens depend. The South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority takes great pride in its delivery of this critical service, which provides public health protection, fire protection, support for the economy and maintenance of the overall quality of life we enjoy.

• Public health protection — In a world where an estimated three million people die or become sick every year from preventable waterborne diseases, the Authority’s water system provides high-quality water from the tap, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Consumers can rest assured that their water supply meets rigorous federal and state health and safety standards.
• Fire protection — Our well-maintained water system is critical in protecting the communities we serve from the ever-present threat of fire. A system that provides a reliable supply of water at an adequate pressure can be the difference between being able to extinguish a small fire and having the fire become a devastating inferno. The ability to suppress fires also influences new home construction, business location decisions and insurance rates for municipalities, businesses and residents.
• Support for the economy — Businesses or housing developments do not succeed without a high-quality and sustainable water supply. Tap water is critical to the day-to-day operations of business and industry, and is often a primary ingredient in the products they create.
• Maintenance of the overall quality of life we enjoy — Any measure of a successful society — low mortality rates, economic diversity, productivity and public safety — is in some way related to access to high-quality water. While many may take for granted that high-quality water is always accessible to drink, to wash our clothes, to water our gardens and for a myriad of other purposes, we’re reminded of the extraordinary value of water resources and service when water service is interrupted.

The Authority is fortunate to have an excess supply of water to meet the daily and peak demands of our customers. As a result, consumers can use as much as they need, although we continually urge that they use water wisely.

Our water system, first conceived by Eli Whitney, Jr. in 1849, is a marvel of engineering and civic gumption. Today, performed by a workforce of 270 people, the work done at the Authority encompasses a broad range of disciplines. We rely daily upon this group of outstanding employees who are responsible for producing high-quality water. From the 52 million gallons of water supplied per day to some 500,000 consumers, to the more than 27,000 acres of land we protect, we are proud of the Authority’s contributions to the communities we serve. In light of annual investments in the capital infrastructure that delivers water through more than 1,690 miles of interconnected water mains and our role as one of the larger employers in Greater New Haven, we accept our responsibilities as a leader in this community. It is a privilege and a responsibility to be one of the few organizations with the opportunity to touch so many lives on a daily basis. We are proud of our efforts to serve the region.

To guide our priorities in serving the region, in 2009 the Authority’s leadership developed a Strategic Business Plan based on the principles of the Balanced Scorecard. It contains our mission, vision and value statements for the Authority and describes specific strategies necessary for us to meet the challenges that lie ahead. Following the Balanced Scorecard management system, the priorities identified in this plan will be the organization’s road map for the years to come. The plan includes metrics that allow us to track our progress in finance, customer service, operations and organization capacity. As a result, we can continuously improve the Authority’s strategic performance and results. Our goal is to move the Authority from being a solid company to being one that is truly great.

Nearly one-third of the employees at the Authority now serve on at least one of 12 strategic plan goal teams. The goal teams have developed action plans for each goal within the four Balanced Scorecard perspectives of the strategic plan: Customers and Constituents, Employee Learning and Growth, Financial, and Internal Business Processes.

As part of the plan, the Authority has taken a number of steps to improve our operating and capital efficiency. These initiatives total an annual ongoing savings of about $3.985 million as outlined below.

• The capital improvement program was reduced from $40 million in the 2009 fiscal year to $27 million in the present fiscal year. This equates to an annual decrease in debt service of almost $800,000. Efforts are ongoing to increase the Authority’s capital efficiency to ensure that the right investments are made in the system infrastructure to maintain or improve it at the most competitive cost.
• Operating efficiencies included the permanent $2.23 million reduction in payroll and benefits associated with downsizing the workforce by 23 positions. This is in addition to approximately $975,000 of identified cost savings primarily attributed to renegotiated contracts, improved treatment and distribution operating processes, higher employee medical contributions and deductibles, and cutting inventory by $400,000. Consistent with our mission of providing high-quality water at the least cost, efforts are continuing to identify other ongoing operating efficiencies.

Other initiatives to strengthen the Authority for the long term are to link the five-year capital plan with the five-year operating plan, amend the General Bond Resolution to improve the internal generation of funds to replenish depleted reserves, reduce debt leverage and fund a portion of the capital program internally.

All of these actions and initiatives have allowed the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority to maintain credit ratings of A+ with S&P and Aa3 with Moody’s Rating Services despite the unsettled domestic and international debt markets.

These actions and initiatives also positioned the Authority to win one of the prestigious 2011 Gold Awards for Exceptional Utility Performance given by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA). The Authority was cited for a strong record of effective utility management that is a significant contribution to the drinking water industry. We were measured on our high level of performance in 10 key attributes of an effective utility, including product quality, operational optimization, financial viability, operational resiliency, infrastructure stability and water resource adequacy. The Authority also demonstrated achievement in the areas of leadership, strategic business planning, organizational approaches, measurement and a continual improvement management framework.

We take seriously the unique, life-sustaining importance of water. Not only must the water we provide be of high quality; it must also be plentiful for use by consumers and for firefighting by emergency responders. We must always succeed in our mission. The provision of high-quality water to almost 500,000 consumers is a service in which our 270 employees and 26 board members take great pride.

In our 162-year history, the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority has established a reputation for service built upon a strong foundation of quality people, operational excellence, infrastructure investments and vigilant environmental stewardship. With the Strategic Plan as our road map, guided by our STARS values, the Authority is well positioned to continue to deliver high-quality water and services to consumers in our region for years to come.

To view the entire report, please choose a download option below.

Full Annual Report (High Quality 3 MB)
Financial Statements Only (725 KB)

The break could take several hours to repair. Motorists are asked to avoid the area, if possible.

Some customers may continue to experience discolored water as a result of the initial drop in water pressure in the water mains. They are advised to run the water for a few minutes to clear the discoloration. If the color does not return to normal after running the water in their home, customers should call 203-562-4020. Customers should use caution when washing clothes, especially light colored ones. Check the condition of the water to prevent staining.

You might be surprised to learn that more than 50 percent of water used to irrigate lawns and gardens is wasted. Over the course of just one year, that’s like letting your garden hose run continuously for more than three days or filling your backyard swimming pool three times. Download a PDF with tips to help homeowners maintain a beautiful natural landscape without wasting water.

To view the entire report, please choose a download option at bottom of this page.

The 2010 fiscal year was one of unprecedented events and challenges as well as significant achievements for the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority.

Customers are continuing to use less water year over year due to more efficient appliances and other efforts to conserve. Additionally, for the second consecutive year, we experienced record-breaking rainfall and cooler temperatures. Conservation and the cool, wet weather resulted in the Regional Water Authority’s water demand dropping about 10 percent below budget. The economic conditions also caused a slowdown in some customer account payments.

These factors resulted in the Authority’s cash collections dropping approximately $5.7 million below budget for the fiscal year ending May 2010. As a result, for the second consecutive year, we drew from the rate stabilization fund to close the fiscal year. The draw of $3.2 million reduced the fund to $3.0 million, less than half its level at the start of the prior fiscal year.

Despite these challenges, we were able to reduce operating and maintenance expenses about $2.5 million below budget through a number of actions. Budget cuts, a reorganization that resulted in cutting 26 staff positions while the workload remained the same, deferring some discretionary maintenance, and reduced power and chemical costs due to the lower demand for water enabled the RWA to significantly shrink the gap between revenues and expenses. It has been a difficult year, but by using our Strategic Plan, based on the balanced scorecard management system, as a road map, we will continue to improve the Authority’s performance, efficiency, customer service and long-term management as we move forward.

In 2009, Regional Water Authority staff developed a Capital Budget Prioritization Matrix, a unique tool that enables us to target which capital projects should be funded over a five-year period by judging each proposed project against a set of 11 weighted criteria. We used the Matrix in FY 2010 to reduce our capital budget by $10 million or 25 percent, defer less critical capital projects, and ensure that the most important projects were funded. The reduced capital budget also cut the level of debt the Authority incurred to finance our annual capital investments. We will be using a similar matrix based on our Strategic Plan to assess our five-year operating and maintenance budget in the future.

Despite the challenges, the actions and plans the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority put in place allowed it to maintain credit ratings of A+ with S&P and Aa3 with Moody’s Rating Services.

The 2010 fiscal year has also been a year full of noteworthy achievements at the Regional Water Authority. Investment in the infrastructure that delivers high quality water efficiently to our customers is a priority. Last year, we devoted $24.9 million to building and improving our region’s water and technology systems. We rebuilt the Grassy Hill Water Storage Tank and made other infrastructure improvements such as cleaning and lining water mains, adding years to their life. The Regional Water Authority received zero notices of violation of state and federal regulatory standards, a tribute to the vigilance of our staff in monitoring the sources, treatment and distribution systems for the water we provide our customers.

To protect the sources of your drinking water, we invested $2.0 million to acquire and protect over 150 acres of land and conservation easements, adding to the 27,000 acres the Authority already owns. Acquiring land helps protect the sources of your water so we can continue to provide this high quality resource to our customers. It also ensures that the land will remain as open space for future generations to enjoy the scenic beauty. The health of our waters is a measure of how we live on the land.

Since the Regional Water Authority acquired the Birmingham water utility in 2008, we have used two distinctly different customer information and billing systems. For the past two years, the Authority has been planning, and in September 2010 implemented, a new customer service and billing system using SAP software to increase the quality, reliability and speed of information customers receive. SAP is a recognized global business and technology leader, and its integrated business software platform is used extensively by utilities and other businesses. This software represents a significant strategic, operational and financial commitment to using technology to improve the Authority’s business processes. The customer information and billing project is the first phase of an enterprise-wide implementation of SAP that will serve as the foundation of our commitment to continuous improvement.

In recapping the year, we must also take a moment to recognize and appreciate an individual whose leadership and dedication helped create and advance the organization in its mission to provide high quality water and services to our customers while promoting the preservation of watershed land and aquifers. After 30 years of service, during the last 10 of which she has been Chair of the Regional Water Authority Board, Claire Bennitt stepped down as Chair at the end of 2009. She made it her mission to create and sustain programs that teach others about nature so they will develop a conservation ethic. Because of her passion for the Regional Water Authority recreation and education programs, we renamed our recreation program in her honor: the Claire C. Bennitt Recreation Program of the Regional Water Authority.

We take seriously the unique, life-sustaining importance of water. Not only must the water we provide be of high quality, but it must also be plentiful for use by consumers and for firefighting by emergency responders. We must always succeed in our mission. The provision of high quality water to almost 500,000 consumers is a service in which some 270 employees and 26 board members take great pride.

In our 161-year history, the Regional Water Authority has established a reputation for service built upon a strong foundation of quality people, operational excellence, infrastructure investments and vigilant environmental stewardship. Because of good planning, good engineering and good people, the Regional Water Authority is well positioned to continue to deliver high quality water and services to consumers in our region.

To view the entire report, please choose a download option below:

Full Report (Medium Quality 2.9 MB)

Financial Statements Only (246 KB)

People posing as water company employees may claim there is a water-quality problem and say they need to take a water sample from inside the home. Other times, the impostors come to the door claiming that they need to check water pressure, the valves or meter in the basement. While the unsuspecting homeowner is distracted, an accomplice may slip in and steal jewelry, cash, and other valuables.

“Customers should be suspicious of anyone who unexpectedly comes to their door claiming to be from the Regional Water Authority requesting to check the pipes, water pressure or valves or get a water sample,” said Regional Water Authority Police Captain Paul M. Schilling said. “All Regional Water Authority personnel carry an employee photo identification card and are in uniform.  If the person at your door doesn’t show you an employee identification card, do not let them in your home.” The consumer should also see a company car or truck with the Regional Water Authority logo parked outside. It is extremely rare that an RWA employee will come to your home without an appointment.

If a customer has doubts, they should immediately call the Customer Service Department at 203-562-4020 or the local police department.

Essential to a healthy, thriving and economically vibrant community is an abundant, reliable supply of water. The South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (Authority) plays an important role in meeting the public water supply needs of the region. We provide high-quality drinking water to over 400,000 consumers. This water quality report, required by federal and state regulations, provides you with a summary of the region’s public drinking water quality.

The Authority employs the multi-barrier approach to ensuring water quality. This approach focuses on watershed and aquifer management to protect the quality of our drinking water sources, treatment of the water prior to consumption, maintaining the distribution system that delivers the water to the tap, and monitoring the quality to ensure compliance. Our water testing is stringent. Last year we performed more than 110,000 tests on over 10,000 water samples. We are pleased to again report that these tests show the Authority’s water quality meets or, in most cases, is better than, the state and federal standards with one exception, sodium, which is discussed in this report. We report all of this information on a regular basis to the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

Our pride is built on a heritage of providing service and water quality excellence to the communities we serve. Should you have questions concerning the information in this report, please call Customer Service at 203-562-4020. Thank you for allowing us to serve you.

Anthony DiSalvo
Chairperson, Regional Water Authority

Larry Bingaman
President & Chief Executive Officer

David J. Borowy
Chairperson, Representative Policy Board