Protecting the Sources of Our Water

Our mandate is to ensure a reliable supply of high-quality water to our consumers. To this end, we spend a considerable amount of time working both locally and at the state level to see that drinking water remains clean and safe for everyone.

Locally, we look at existing land uses in towns and scrutinize proposed developments on public water supply watersheds and aquifer lands. Environmental staff conducts over 2,500 watershed inspections annually. Our police force patrols more than 400-square miles. Those inspections, combined with security measures, and a team of environmental analysts, laboratory technicians, lake crews and foresters, work together to safeguard the health of our reservoirs and groundwater aquifers.

At the state level, we work to support legislation that protects the water and the environment. We backed d the State Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP’s) efforts to adopt regulations for the protection of Connecticut’s public water supply aquifers. The adoption of land use controls in aquifer areas balances public health and economic concerns and allow for compatible industrial and commercial development in aquifer protection areas.

At the local level, we take steps to safeguard the public water supply. We review applications going before local land use commissions that could affect our water supplies. Oftentimes in our review, we recommend that developers construct storm water treatment systems to minimize the impact of the proposed development on the environment and our water supplies. In fact, over the last 15 years, we have built man-made wetlands or treatment systems on our own watershed lands to improve storm water quality from surrounding areas. These systems include storm water management basins, grass swales, and constructed wetlands that collect and treat runoff from parking lots, roads, and lawns. Download: Creating Wetlands to Protect Our Water Supply.

One of the stormwater treatment systems that resulted from our review of a proposed redevelopment of an already developed commercial site on one of our water supply watersheds was constructed by Fusco Corporation to serve the Stop & Shop/Market Place at Hamden Shopping Center. Prior to redevelopment, stormwater runoff from paved surfaces discharged directly to a river that led to a Regional Water Authority reservoir. Post-development stormwater runoff from the site and an adjacent industrial park now receives treatment within two constructed water quality basins. This project was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency with the Source Water Protection Business Award.

This type of valuable assistance provided by the Authority enables towns to advance innovative source water protection measures in an effort to protect the public water supply

To monitor the quality of our source waters we take thousands of measurements and samples each year from streams and reservoirs within our water supply watersheds and monitoring wells within the aquifers that provide groundwater for our public well supplies. The data from this monitoring helps to identify any problem areas and to manage the use of our diversions and water supply intakes to optimize raw water quality.

Another important element in our source water protection efforts includes owning and maintaining over 26,000 acres of watershed land. We are also spending several million dollars each year to acquire additional critical watershed lands. Buying and protecting watershed land is effective in preventing the degradation of water quality and helps to minimize treatment expenses. This is an important investment for the long-term protection of our region’s water supply. To learn more, please read “The Land We Need for the Water We Use.”

Five Steps to Help Protect Your Drinking Water

Here’s a short list of what you can do around your own home to protect water quality. This is important whether you are one of our consumers or if you get water from your own well. Either way, the last thing you want to do is contaminate a supply of water.

1. Maintain your septic system: A properly designed septic system is effective at treating domestic wastewater. However, if not properly maintained, a septic system can pollute groundwater. Only use your septic system for domestic wastewater, not trash or household chemical disposal. Have a licensed septic hauler pump it out at least every three to five years.
2. Don’t dump into storm drains: Storm drains in the road are usually connected to the nearest wetland, stream, pond or lake. Be careful when applying pesticides or fertilizers, walking the dog, and washing and maintaining the car. Keep potential contaminants from these activities off paved surfaces where they may wash into drinking water resources.
3. Properly dispose of household hazardous wastes. Paints, antifreezes, pesticides and household cleaning products have a way of collecting in homes. The collection center, HazWaste Central, which is operated by the Authority, will dispose of your hazardous waste for a free if you reside in one of our member municipalities.
4. Maintain native vegetation if you live along side streams, wetlands or other water body. A natural vegetated buffer along the water’s edge—unmowed grass or woodland—prevents erosion and traps contaminants.
5. Report chemical spills or other incidents that can threaten water quality by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection at (860) 424-3338. Incidents that may affect our region’s water supply should also be reported to the Regional Water Authority at 562-4020.

Putting All the Pieces Together

The drinking water provided by the Regional Water Authority comes from a network of reservoirs and wells that are replenished by water from surrounding watersheds and aquifers.

Download this pdf to take a trip through our watersheds and aquifers to see how we protect and maintain the quality of our source water.

Neighborhood Water Watch

The Authority’s Police Department works diligently to keep our drinking water system safe, however we can’t be everywhere in advance of trouble. We are asking our neighbors, who live in close proximity to one of our facilities, or recreation permit holders, who are out on our trails or fishing, to be the “eyes and ears” for the public water supply system.

If you witness any suspicious or illegal activity at one of our facilities, or someone trespassing, dumping waste, painting graffiti on the grounds of a water facility, or tampering with a town’s fire hydrants should be reported. Please call our Police hotline at (203) 401-2525.