Forums Aid in Development Of Connecticut’s First State Water Plan
This week the Connecticut Water Planning Council will hold public forums in Norwich, New Britain, and Southington to receive input and feedback to help develop the state’s first comprehensive State Water Plan. Public participation is crucial to the development of the plan as the state confronts ongoing issues with climate change, drought, and water use.
The Connecticut Water Planning Council and its consultant, CDM Smith, in association with Milone and MacBroom, have embarked on the development of a State Water Plan at the urging of the Governor and legislative leaders. This team will host three public meetings on October 25, 26, and 27 (times and locations below) to allow the citizens of Connecticut to learn more about the state water planning process, ask questions, and share concerns about our water and its uses during the early stages of the planning process.
The State Water Plan will ultimately recommend a framework for managing Connecticut’s water into the future, and help balance the way water meets all of our needs as new climate trends emerge and new needs develop. The plan will address the quality and quantity of water for drinking, ecology, recreation, industry, agriculture, energy and wastewater assimilation.
Representatives from the Water Planning Council will be at each of these three meetings, along with the directors of the project from CDM Smith. To spread awareness and encourage broad statewide engagement, these first three meetings will be held in different locations throughout the state, and will focus on the same material each day.
The first three meetings will be held at the following times and locations:
Tuesday, October 25: 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Southeastern CT Council of Governments, 5 Connecticut Avenue, Norwich, CT.
Hearing Room 1 at PURA, 10 Franklin Square, New Britain, CT.
Thursday, October 27: 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Room 205 of the Southbury Town Hall, 501 Main Street South, Southbury, CT.
Citizen participation and input is critical to developing and implementing a plan that effectively meets the needs of all stakeholders while protecting this valuable resource. There will be three additional public meetings in the next phase of the project, during the winter and spring of 2017, sequenced in parallel with a progressive series of workshops with project stakeholders.
The Connecticut Water Planning Council is comprised of four members: John W. Betkoski, Vice Chairman, Public Utilities Regulatory Authority; W. David LeVasseur, Acting Undersecretary, Intergovernmental Policy Division, Office of Policy and Management; Michael Sullivan, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection; and Lori Mathieu, Public Health Water Section Chief, Department of Public Health.
Additional information about the State Water Plan can be found here.
Timely updates can be received by subscribing to the Water Planning Council E-Alert here.
Please contact John W. Betkoski, Chairman of the Water Planning Council at 860-827-2803; or Nick Neeley at Nicholas.neeley@ct.gov or 860-827-2625.