PURA set to approve CT Water’s request for $19.4M loan to mitigate PFAS, lead
PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED
This PFAS treatment system at an Aquarion plant in New Hampshire is similar to what the company will install in Connecticut.
The Connecticut Water Co. has applied for a $19.4 million loan through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
The Clinton-based utility, which serves more than 100,000 customers in 60 towns and cities in Connecticut, plans to use the debt to finance three projects aimed at removing PFAS and lead from its water systems.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority has issued a proposed final decision granting the company’s request to issue the debt, which the regulatory agency is expected to approve at its next meeting, at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The projects are:
- Building an interconnection of the Green Springs Water System in Madison with the Guilford Water System;
- Creating a facility for centralized treatment of raw water from Gallup Wells Nos. 1 and 2 in Plainfield;
- Identifying lead service lines.
In the first project, PFAS-affected wells that supply Greens Springs will be de-activated, according to testimony submitted by David Peeling, vice president of engineering for Connecticut Water.
The work involves installing about 7,200 feet of water main from the Guilford system to the existing Green Springs facility.
“The interconnection provides increased redundancy and dependability to the Green Springs customers and will provide operational efficiencies as chemical treatment will no longer be needed at this location,” Peeling stated.
PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” have been linked to cancer, damage to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental problems in infants and children. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency set long-awaited standards for the contaminant in drinking water.
The second project involves constructing a new treatment facility for two wells that serve as the primary sources of Connecticut Water’s Gallup System in Plainfield.
The Gallup Well No. 1 building has significant deficiencies, including corroded process piping, antiquated electrical equipment and limited space for additional treatment, Peeling stated.
Connecticut Water plans to replace it with a new centralized facility to treat both wells.
“This new facility will reduce maintenance costs, improve redundancy, improve operational efficiency and ensure a reliable and high-quality water supply…,” Peeling’s testimony states.
The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund provides loans that carry interest rates of 2% – well below market rates – to finance “critical investments related to emerging contaminants and the elimination of lead from the water systems.”
The state Department of Public Health has reviewed and approved plans for the projects, according to Connecticut Water.
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