OCT23-36.qxp_NCN new template 10/2/24 7:06 AM Page 24
Ellington State Representative Round-up
Bringing clean water home is major feat HARTFORD — I’m proud of my many accomplishments for the 57th District over the last few years. One such accomJaime Foster plishment brings clean drinking water to affected residents in two of the towns in the district. During my time in office, I’ve spoken with constituents who have well water contamination from nitrates, ethylene dibromide (EDB), 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP), per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and road salt. These issues are unique and challenging to address and never a one-size-fitsall solution. I’ve been working with town leaders, state agencies, and House leadership to find reliable and cost-effective solutions. In the past four years, we've made significant progress in connecting residents in both East Windsor and Ellington to potable water. And we've been able to utilize millions of dollars in both federal funding as well as Community Investment Funds 2030 (CIF) money to make that progress. In 2022, the CT General Assembly passed PA 22-29, “An Act Concerning Public Health Concerns in the Acquisition of Water Companies,”
Rep. Jaime Foster speaks in the House Chamber earlier this year. Photo courtesy Rep. Foster’s Office which started in the Energy and Technology Committee. This legislation allows the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, the ability to order the acquisition of the water company by the most suitable public or private entity. Public health concerns can be used in that determination, which is a key step to get communities with shared contaminated wells access to city water when that is the best option.
In 2023, I secured a $4 million CIF grant for the town of East Windsor to extend the public water line along Windsorville Road and Old Ellington Road to provide safe and reliable drinking water to 31 residences with contaminated wells, as well as the East Windsor Housing Authority's Park Hill complex of 84 units. Beyond giving access to safe drinking water, this fund also makes fire suppression possible in existing units at Park Hill. The School Hill Association
is expected to be connected to this public water line in July 2025. This will give residents safe and usable water that they haven’t had for decades. Further, additional homes that had EDB and Nitrate contamination and individually affected homes in Ellington and East Windsor will be connected to city water in October. As always, please contact my office with any concerns you may have. I can be reached at 860-240-8585 or jaime.foster@cga.ct.gov.
24 North Central News October 2024
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