Secs. 25-19 to 25-24. Pollution of waters. Sections 25-19 to 25-24, inclusive, are
repealed.
(1949 Rev., S. 4040, 4042-4046; 1949, S. 2114d; 1953, S. 2115d; 1955, S. 2116d; 1957, P.A. 364, S. 11, 13, 36; 1961,
P.A. 273, S. 4; 343; February, 1965, P.A. 489, S. 1-4; 1967, P.A. 57, S. 36.)
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Sec. 25-25. Definitions. Section 25-25 is repealed.
(1949 Rev., S. 4033; P.A. 73-555, S. 9, 10.)
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Secs. 25-26, 25-26a and 25-27. Transferred to Chapter 446k, Secs. 22a-416 to
22a-418, inclusive.
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Secs. 25-28 to 25-31. Orders of state department; appeals. Failure to comply
with orders. Rights not to vest. Penalty. Sections 25-28 to 25-31, inclusive, are repealed.
(1949 Rev., S. 4035, 4037-4039; 1971, P.A. 870, S. 79; 872, S. 76, 77; P.A. 73-555, S. 9, 10.)
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Sec. 25-32. Department of Public Health jurisdiction over and duties concerning water supplies, water companies and operators of water treatment plants and
water distribution systems. (a) The Department of Public Health shall have jurisdiction
over all matters concerning the purity and adequacy of any water supply source used
by any municipality, public institution or water company for obtaining water, the safety
of any distributing plant and system for public health purposes, the adequacy of methods
used to assure water purity, and such other matters relating to the construction and
operation of such distributing plant and system as may affect public health.
(b) No water company shall sell, lease, assign or otherwise dispose of or change
the use of any watershed lands, except as provided in section 25-43c, without a written
permit from the Commissioner of Public Health. The commissioner shall not grant: (1)
A permit for the sale of class I land, except as provided in subsection (d) of this section,
(2) a permit for the lease of class I land except as provided in subsection (p) of this section,
or (3) a permit for a change in use of class I land unless the applicant demonstrates that
such change will not have a significant adverse impact upon the present and future purity
and adequacy of the public drinking water supply and is consistent with any water supply
plan filed and approved pursuant to section 25-32d. The commissioner may reclassify
class I land only upon determination that such land no longer meets the criteria established by subsection (a) of section 25-37c because of abandonment of a water supply
source or a physical change in the watershed boundary. Not more than fifteen days
before filing an application for a permit under this section, the applicant shall provide
notice of such intent, by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the chief executive
officer and the chief elected official of each municipality in which the land is situated.
(c) The commissioner may grant a permit for the sale, lease, assignment or change
in use of any land in class II subject to any conditions or restrictions in use which the
commissioner may deem necessary to maintain the purity and adequacy of the public
drinking water supply, giving due consideration to: (1) The creation and control of point
or nonpoint sources of contamination; (2) the disturbance of ground vegetation; (3) the
creation and control of subsurface sewage disposal systems; (4) the degree of water
treatment provided; (5) the control of watershed land by the applicant through ownership, easements or use restrictions or other water supply source protection measures;
(6) the effect of development of any such land; and (7) any other significant potential
source of contamination of the public drinking water supply. The commissioner may
grant a permit for the sale, lease or assignment of class II land to another water company,
municipality or nonprofit land conservation organization provided, as a condition of
approval, a permanent conservation easement on the land is entered into to preserve the
land in perpetuity predominantly in its natural scenic and open condition for the protection of natural resources and public water supplies while allowing for recreation consistent with such protection and improvements necessary for the protection or provision of
safe and adequate potable water. Preservation in perpetuity shall not include permission
for the land to be developed for any commercial, residential or industrial uses, nor
shall it include permission for recreational purposes requiring intense development,
including, but not limited to, golf courses, driving ranges, tennis courts, ballfields, swimming pools and uses by motorized vehicles other than vehicles needed by water companies to carry out their purposes, provided trails or pathways for pedestrians, motorized
wheelchairs or nonmotorized vehicles shall not be considered intense development. The
commissioner may reclassify class II land only upon determination that such land no
longer meets the criteria established by subsection (b) of section 25-37c because of
abandonment of a water supply source or a physical change in the watershed boundary.
(d) The commissioner may grant a permit for (1) the sale of class I or II land to
another water company, to a state agency or to a municipality, (2) the sale of class II
land or the sale or assignment of a conservation restriction or a public access easement
on class I or class II land to a private, nonprofit land-holding conservation organization,
or (3) the sale of class I land to a private nonprofit land-holding conservation organization
if the water company is denied a permit to abandon a source not in current use or needed
by the water company pursuant to subsection (c) of section 25-33k, if the purchasing
entity agrees to maintain the land subject to the provisions of this section, any regulations
adopted pursuant to this section and the terms of any permit issued pursuant to this
section. Such purchasing entity or assignee may not sell, lease or assign any such land
or conservation restriction or public access easement or sell, lease, assign or change the
use of such land without obtaining a permit pursuant to this section.
(e) The commissioner shall not grant a permit for the sale, lease, assignment or
change in use of any land in class II unless (1) the land in class II is being sold, leased
or assigned as part of a larger parcel of land also containing land in class III and use
restrictions applicable to the land in class II will prevent the land in class II from being
developed, (2) the applicant demonstrates that the proposed sale, lease, assignment or
change in use will not have a significant adverse impact upon the purity and adequacy
of the public drinking water supply and that any use restrictions which the commissioner
requires as a condition of granting a permit can be enforced against subsequent owners,
lessees and assignees, (3) the commissioner determines, after giving effect to any use
restrictions which may be required as a condition of granting the permit, that such proposed sale, lease, assignment or change in use will not have a significant adverse effect
on the public drinking water supply, whether or not similar permits have been granted,
and (4) on or after January 1, 2003, as a condition to the sale, lease or assignment of
any class II lands, a permanent conservation easement on the land is entered into to
preserve the land in perpetuity predominantly in its natural scenic and open condition
for the protection of natural resources and public water supplies while allowing for
recreation consistent with such protection and improvements necessary for the protection or provision of safe and adequate potable water, except in cases where the class II
land is deemed necessary to provide access or egress to a parcel of class III land, as
defined in section 25-37c, that is approved for sale. Preservation in perpetuity shall
not include permission for the land to be developed for any commercial, residential or
industrial uses, nor shall it include permission for recreational purposes requiring intense
development, including, but not limited to, golf courses, driving ranges, tennis courts,
ballfields, swimming pools and uses by motorized vehicles other than vehicles needed by
water companies to carry out their purposes, provided trails or pathways for pedestrians,
motorized wheelchairs or nonmotorized vehicles shall not be considered intense development.
(f) Nothing in this section shall prevent the lease or change in use of water company
land to allow for recreational purposes that do not require intense development or improvements for water supply purposes, for leases of existing structures, or for radio
towers or telecommunications antennas on existing structures. For purposes of this subsection, intense development includes golf courses, driving ranges, tennis courts, ballfields, swimming pools and uses by motorized vehicles, provided trails or pathways for
pedestrians, motorized wheelchairs or nonmotorized vehicles shall not be considered
intense development.
(g) As used in this section, (1) "water supply source" includes all springs, streams,
watercourses, brooks, rivers, lakes, ponds, wells or underground waters from which
water is taken, and all springs, streams, watercourses, brooks, rivers, lakes, ponds, wells
or aquifer protection areas, as defined in section 22a-354h, thereto and all lands drained
thereby; and (2) "watershed land" means land from which water drains into a public
drinking water supply.
(h) The commissioner shall adopt and from time to time may amend the following:
(1) Physical, chemical, radiological and microbiological standards for the quality of
public drinking water; (2) minimum treatment methods, taking into account the costs
of such methods, required for all sources of drinking water, including guidelines for the
design and operation of treatment works and water sources, which guidelines shall serve
as the basis for approval of local water supply plans by the commissioner; (3) minimum
standards to assure the long-term purity and adequacy of the public drinking water
supply to all residents of this state; and (4) classifications of water treatment plants and
water distribution systems which treat or supply water used or intended for use by the
public. On or after October 1, 1975, any water company which requests approval of any
drinking water source shall provide for such treatment methods as specified by the
commissioner, provided any water company in operation prior to October 1, 1975, and
having such source shall comply with regulations adopted by the commissioner, in
accordance with chapter 54, in conformance with The Safe Drinking Water Act, Public
Law 93-523, and shall submit on or before February 1, 1976, a statement of intent to
provide for treatment methods as specified by the commissioner, to the commissioner
for approval. The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54,
requiring water companies to report elevated levels of copper in public drinking water.
(i) The department may perform the collection and testing of water samples required
by regulations adopted by the commissioner pursuant to this section, in accordance with
chapter 54, when requested to do so by a water company. The department shall collect
a fee equal to the cost of such collection and testing. Water companies serving one
thousand or more persons shall not request routine bacteriological or physical tests under
this subsection.
(j) The condemnation by a state department, institution or agency of any land owned
by a water company shall be subject to the provisions of this section.
(k) The commissioner may issue an order declaring a moratorium on the expansion
or addition to any existing public water system that the commissioner deems incapable
of providing new services with a pure and adequate water supply.
(l) The commissioner may issue, modify or revoke orders as needed to carry out
the provisions of this part. Except as otherwise provided in this part, such order shall
be issued, modified or revoked in accordance with procedures set forth in subsection
(b) of section 25-34.
(m) The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions
of chapter 54, to include local health departments in the notification process when a
water utility reports a water quality problem.
(n) (1) On and after the effective date of regulations adopted under this subsection,
no person may operate any water treatment plant or water distribution system that treats
or supplies water used or intended for use by the public, test any backflow prevention
device, or perform a cross connection survey without a certificate issued by the commissioner under this subsection. The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance
with chapter 54, to provide: (A) Standards for the operation of such water treatment
plants and water distribution systems; (B) standards and procedures for the issuance of
certificates to operators of such water treatment plants and water distribution systems;
(C) procedures for the renewal of such certificates every three years; (D) standards for
training required for the issuance or renewal of a certificate; and (E) standards and
procedures for the issuance and renewal of certificates to persons who test backflow
prevention devices or perform cross connection surveys. Such regulations shall be consistent with applicable federal law and guidelines for operator certification programs
promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and shall be
adopted and filed with the Secretary of the State pursuant to section 4-172 not later than
February 1, 2001.
(2) The commissioner may take any disciplinary action set forth in section 19a-17,
except for the assessment of a civil penalty under subdivision (6) of subsection (a) of
section 19a-17, against an operator, a person who tests backflow prevention devices or
a person who performs cross connection surveys holding a certificate issued under this
subsection for any of the following reasons: (A) Fraud or material deception in procuring
a certificate, the renewal of a certificate or the reinstatement of a certificate; (B) fraud
or material deception in the performance of the certified operator's professional activities; (C) incompetent, negligent or illegal performance of the certified operator's professional activities; (D) conviction of the certified operator for a felony; or (E) failure of
the certified operator to complete the training required under subdivision (1) of this
subsection.
(o) The commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of
chapter 54, that incorporate by reference the provisions of the federal National Primary
Drinking Water Regulations in 40 C.F.R. Parts 141 and 142, promulgated by the United
States Environmental Protection Agency, provided such regulations (1) are consistent
with other regulations adopted pursuant to this section, and (2) explicitly incorporate
any future amendments to said federal regulations.
(p) The commissioner may grant a permit for the lease of class I land associated
with a groundwater source for use for public drinking water purposes to another water
company that serves one thousand or more persons or two hundred fifty or more customers and maintains an approved water supply plan pursuant to section 25-32d, provided
a water company acquiring such interest in the property demonstrates that such lease
will improve conditions for the existing public drinking water system and will not have
a significant adverse impact upon the present and future purity and adequacy of the
public drinking water supply. Any water company requesting a permit under this subsection may be required to convey an easement that provides for the protection of the public
water supply source and shall submit such easement and any provisions of the lease that
pertain to the protection of the public water supply to the commissioner for approval.
(1949 Rev., S. 4015; 1967, P.A. 691, S. 2; P.A. 74-303, S. 1; P.A. 75-513, S. 1, 5; P.A. 76-268; P.A. 77-606, S. 4, 10;
77-614, S. 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 71, 85, 136; P.A. 79-192; 79-522, S. 1, 2; P.A. 81-472, S. 139, 159; P.A. 85-336, S. 1, 6; P.A. 88-172, S. 3; 88-354, S. 4; P.A. 89-301, S. 3; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-211, S. 1; 95-257, S. 12, 21,
58; 95-329, S. 1, 31; P.A. 96-100, S. 2; P.A. 97-304, S. 21, 31; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2, S. 63; P.A. 00-90, S. 1, 3; 00-203, S. 7, 11; P.A. 01-204, S. 4, 29; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 73, 131; P.A. 03-252, S. 15; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2, S.
45; P.A. 06-53, S. 3; P.A. 09-232, S. 47, 48.)
History: 1967 act gave health department jurisdiction over adequacy of water and ice supplies, safety of distributing
plants and systems, adequacy of methods used to assure water purity, etc.; P.A. 74-303 made previous provisions Subsecs.
(a) and (c), added new Subsec. (b) re disposition or change in use of any watershed land and defined the term "watershed
land" in Subsec. (c); P.A. 75-513 added Subsec. (d) re physical, chemical and bacteriological standards for drinking water
supplies; P.A. 76-268 added Subsec. (e) authorizing health department to collect and test water samples; P.A. 77-606
amended Subsec. (b) to specifically require "written permit" rather than "prior approval" and to replace provisions detailing
procedure for disposition or use change with provisions for such disposition or use change of Class I land, inserted new
Subsecs. (c) and (d) re provision for disposition or use change of Class II land, relettering remaining Subsecs. accordingly
and added Subsec. (f)(3) (formerly Subsec. (d)), requiring standards to assure long-term adequacy of drinking water
supplies; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner and department of health with commissioner and department of health
services, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-303 deleted references to abolished public health council in Subsec. (f),
substituting commissioner of health services; P.A. 79-192 added Subsec. (h) re condemnation of land; P.A. 79-522 rephrased reference to water treatment plants and distribution systems and added reference to regulations adopted by commissioner in accordance with chapter 54 under Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (f)(4) requiring classification of treatment
plants and distribution systems; P.A. 81-472 made technical changes; P.A. 85-336 amended Subsec. (b) by authorizing
reclassification of class I land, amended Subsec. (c) by authorizing reclassification of class II land, inserted new Subsec.
(d) to require a permit for the sale of class I or II land and relettered the remaining subsections; P.A. 88-172 added Subsec.
(j) re moratoriums; P.A. 88-354 amended Subsec. (b) by requiring applicant to provide notice to municipal officials not
more than 15 days before filing an application; P.A. 89-301 added Subsec. (c)(5) requiring commissioner to consider the
incremental effect of development in his decision and renumbering the remaining Subdiv. accordingly and amended Subsec.
(e) to require determination that public drinking water supply would suffer no harm from sale, lease, assignment or change
in use of land; P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and commissioner
of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-211 added new Subsec. (c)(5) re control of watershed
land, relettering remaining Subdivs. accordingly and deleting in Subdiv. (6) the requirement that the effect of development
be "incremental", added new Subsec. (e)(1) re class II and III land, renumbering the remaining Subdivs. and adding to
Subdiv. (3) the requirement that the commissioner give effect to any use restrictions that may be required as a condition
of granting the permit and replacing "harm" with "have a significant adverse effect on"; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner
and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective
July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-329 added Subsec. (k) re orders by the commissioner, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 96-100 added
Subsec. (l) concerning regulations re local health department notification; P.A. 97-304 amended Subsec. (d) to allow
commissioner to grant a permit for the sale of class I or II land to a state agency, effective July 1, 1997; June Sp. Sess.
P.A. 99-2 deleted reference to ice, added "aquifer protection areas" and made technical changes; P.A. 00-90 made technical
changes in Subsecs. (a), (b), (c), (f), (g), (h), (k) and (l), amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provisions re qualifications of
operators of water treatment plants and water distribution systems, amended Subsec. (g) by adding provisions requiring
regulations re the reporting of elevated levels of copper in public drinking water, and added new Subsec. (m) re operators
of water treatment plants and water distribution systems, effective May 26, 2000; P.A. 00-203 amended Subsec. (c) by
adding provision re sale, lease or assignment of class II land to another water company, municipality or nonprofit land
conservation organization, added Subsec. (e)(4) re sale, lease or assignment of class II land on or after January 1, 2003,
and made articles separating Subdivs. "and" instead of "or", inserted new Subsec. (f) re using land for recreational purposes,
and redesignated former Subsecs. (f) to (m), inclusive, as Subsecs. (g) to (n), inclusive, effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 01-204 amended Subsec. (d) to allow the commissioner to grant a permit for the sale of class II land or the sale or assignment
of a conservation restriction or a public access easement on class I or class II land to a private, nonprofit land-holding
conservation organization, and to prohibit such purchasing entity or assignee from selling, leasing, or assigning any such
land or conservation restriction or public access easement or from selling, leasing, assigning or changing the use of such
land without obtaining a permit pursuant to the section, effective July 11, 2001; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 revised effective
date of P.A. 01-204 but without affecting this section; P.A. 03-252 amended Subsec. (n) by adding provisions re jurisdiction
over persons who test backflow prevention devices or perform cross connection surveys and making a technical change;
May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2 added Subsec. (d)(3) re sale of land to a private nonprofit land-holding conservation organization;
P.A. 06-53 added Subsec. (o) authorizing Commissioner of Public Health to adopt regulations that incorporate by reference
federal drinking water regulations; P.A. 09-232 amended Subsec. (b) by redesignating existing language as Subdivs. (1)
to (3), deleting provision re permit for assignment of class I land and adding reference to Subsec. (p) and added Subsec.
(p) re commissioner's authority to grant permit for lease of class I land, effective July 8, 2009.
See Secs. 25-37a to 25-37g, inclusive, re regulation of water companies' lands.
Cited. 201 C. 592.
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Sec. 25-32a. "Consumer" and "water company" defined. As used in sections
25-32, 25-33 and 25-34, "consumer" means any private dwelling, hotel, motel, boardinghouse, apartment, store, office building, institution, mechanical or manufacturing
establishment or other place of business or industry to which water is supplied by a
water company; "water company" means any individual, partnership, association, corporation, municipality or other entity, or the lessee thereof, who or which owns, maintains, operates, manages, controls or employs any pond, lake, reservoir, well, stream or
distributing plant or system that supplies water to two or more consumers or to twenty-five or more persons on a regular basis provided if any individual, partnership, association, corporation, municipality or other entity or lessee owns or controls eighty per cent
of the equity value of more than one such system or company, the number of consumers
or persons supplied by all such systems so controlled shall be considered as owned by
one company for the purposes of this definition.
(1967, P.A. 691, S. 3; P.A. 75-70; P.A. 95-329, S. 4, 31.)
History: P.A. 75-70 added to definition of "water company" to include those supplying water to twenty-five or more
persons on a regular basis; P.A. 95-329 changed "for the purpose of supplying" to "that supplies" in the definition of water
company, effective July 1, 1995.
See Sec. 25-32n re exclusion of municipality with well water service to a school administration building from consideration as a water company.
Trial court properly construed term "municipality" under this section to include the town, rather than limiting it to
town's water division as a separate entity, thus subjecting town to the department's jurisdiction. 262 C. 758.
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Sec. 25-32b. Public drinking water supply emergency. The Commissioner of
Public Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of Environmental Protection and
the Public Utilities Control Authority, may declare a public drinking water supply emergency upon receipt of information that a public water supply emergency exists or is
imminent. Notwithstanding any other provision of the general statutes or regulations
adopted thereunder, or special act or municipal ordinance, the Commissioner of Public
Health may authorize or order the sale, supply or taking of any waters, including waters
into which sewage is discharged, or the temporary interconnection of water mains for
the sale or transfer of water among water companies. The Public Utilities Control Authority shall determine the terms of the sale of any water sold pursuant to this section
if the water companies that are party to the sale cannot determine such terms or if one
of such water companies is regulated by the authority. The authorization or order may
be implemented prior to such determination. Any authorization or order shall be for an
initial period of not more than thirty days but may be extended for additional periods
of thirty days up to one hundred fifty days, consistent with the contingency procedures
for a public drinking water supply emergency in the plan approved pursuant to section
25-32d to the extent the Commissioner of Public Health deems appropriate. Upon request by the Commissioner of Public Health, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, pursuant to section 22a-378, shall suspend a permit issued pursuant to section
22a-368 or impose conditions on a permit held pursuant to said section. The time for
such suspension or conditions shall be established in accordance with subdivision (1)
of subsection (a) of section 22a-378. As used in this section and section 22a-378, "public
drinking water supply emergency" includes the contamination of water, the failure of
a water supply system or the shortage of water.
(P.A. 84-281, S. 1, 4; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-32c. Civil penalty. Any person who violates any provision of an authorization or order issued pursuant to section 25-32b, shall pay a civil fine not to exceed five
thousand dollars per day, to be fixed by the Superior Court, commencing from the date
compliance to the authorization or order was required. Each violation shall be a separate
and distinct offense and, in the case of a continuing violation, each day's continuance
thereof shall be deemed to be a separate and distinct offense. The Attorney General,
upon complaint of the Commissioner of Public Health, shall institute a civil action to
recover such fine.
(P.A. 84-281, S. 2, 4; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-32d. Water supply plans. (a) Each water company, as defined in section
25-32a, and supplying water to one thousand or more persons or two hundred fifty or
more consumers and any other water company as defined in said section requested by
the Commissioner of Public Health shall submit a water supply plan to the Commissioner
of Public Health for approval in accordance with the requirements of this section and
with the concurrence of the Commissioner of Environmental Protection. The concurrence of the Public Utilities Control Authority shall be required for approval of a plan
submitted by a water company regulated by the authority. The Commissioner of Public
Health shall consider the comments of the Public Utilities Control Authority on any plan
which may impact any water company regulated by the authority. The Commissioner of
Public Health shall distribute a copy of the plan to the Commissioner of Environmental
Protection and the Public Utilities Control Authority. A copy of the plan shall be sent
to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management for information and comment.
A plan shall be revised at such time as the water company filing the plan or the Commissioner of Public Health determines, or at intervals of not less than six years nor more than
nine years after the date of the most recently approved plan. Unless the Commissioner of
Public Health requests otherwise, any water company that fails to meet public drinking
water supply quality and quantity obligations, as prescribed in state law or regulation,
shall be required to file plan revisions six years after the date of the most recently approved plan. On and after October 1, 2009, upon the approval of a water supply plan, any
subsequent revisions to such plan shall minimally consist of updates to those elements
described in subsection (b) of this section that have changed after the date of the most
recently approved plan provided the Commissioner of Public Health has not otherwise
requested submission of an entire water supply plan.
(b) Any water supply plan submitted pursuant to this section shall evaluate the water
supply needs in the service area of the water company submitting the plan and propose
a strategy to meet such needs. The plan shall include: (1) A description of existing water
supply systems; (2) an analysis of future water supply demands; (3) an assessment of
alternative water supply sources which may include sources receiving sewage and
sources located on state land; (4) contingency procedures for public drinking water
supply emergencies, including emergencies concerning the contamination of water, the
failure of a water supply system or the shortage of water; (5) a recommendation for new
water system development; (6) a forecast of any future land sales, an identification
which includes the acreage and location of any land proposed to be sold, sources of
public water supply to be abandoned and any land owned by the company which it has
designated, or plans to designate, as class III land; (7) provisions for strategic groundwater monitoring; (8) an analysis of the impact of water conservation practices and a
strategy for implementing supply and demand management measures; (9) on and after
January 1, 2004, an evaluation of source water protection measures for all sources of
the water supply, based on the identification of critical lands to be protected and incompatible land use activities with the potential to contaminate a public drinking water
source; and (10) a brief summary of the water company's underground infrastructure
replacement practices, which may include current and future infrastructure needs, methods by which projects are identified and prioritized for rehabilitation and replacement
and funding needs.
(c) For security and safety reasons, procedures for sabotage prevention and response
shall be provided separately from the water supply plan as a confidential document to
the Department of Public Health. Such procedures shall not be subject to disclosure
under the Freedom of Information Act, as defined in section 1-200. Additionally, procedures for sabotage prevention and response that are established by municipally-owned
water companies shall not be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information
Act, as defined in section 1-200.
(d) The Commissioner of Public Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of
Environmental Protection and the Public Utilities Control Authority, shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54. Such regulations shall include a
method for calculating safe yield, the contents of emergency contingency plans and
water conservation plans, the contents of an evaluation of source water protection measures, a process for approval, modification or rejection of plans submitted pursuant to
this section, a schedule for submission of the plans and a mechanism for determining
the completeness of the plan. The plan shall be deemed complete if the commissioner
does not request additional information within ninety days after the date on which the
plan was submitted or, in the event that additional information has been requested, within
forty-five days after the submission of such information, except that the commissioner
may request an additional thirty days beyond the time in which the application is deemed
complete to further determine completeness. In determining whether the water supply
plan is complete, the commissioner may request only information that is specifically
required by regulation. The Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Public Utility Control, in the case of any plan which may impact any water
company regulated by that agency, shall have ninety days upon notice that a plan is
deemed complete to comment on the plan.
(e) Any water company, when submitting any plan or revision or amendment of a
plan after July 1, 1998, which involves a forecast of land sales, abandonment of any
water supply source, sale of any lands, or land reclassification, shall provide notice,
return receipt requested, to the chief elected official of each municipality in which the
land or source is located, the Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land and the
Land Trust Service Bureau and any organization on the list prepared under subsection
(b) of section 16-50c. Such notice shall specify any proposed abandonment of a source
of water supply, any proposed changes to land sales forecasts or any land to be designated
as class III land in such plan. Such notice shall specify the location and acreage proposed
for sale or reclassification as class III land and identify sources to be abandoned and
shall be provided no later than the date of submission of such plan or revision. Such
notice shall indicate that public comment on such plan or revision shall be received by
the Commissioners of Public Health and Environmental Protection not later than sixty
days after the date of notice. The Commissioner of Public Health shall take such comment into consideration in making any determination or approval under this section.
(P.A. 84-502, S. 1, 3; P.A. 88-354, S. 5; P.A. 89-305, S. 21, 32; 89-327, S. 6, 7; P.A. 90-271, S. 17, 24; P.A. 93-381,
S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-124, S. 1, 3; 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 96-180, S. 92, 166; P.A. 97-314, S. 3; P.A. 98-157, S. 7, 15; P.A.
02-102, S. 1; P.A. 03-278, S. 85; P.A. 09-220, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 88-354 added Subsec. (b)(7) re forecasts of future land sales; P.A. 89-305 amended Subsec. (b)(3) by
adding requirement that plans include an assessment of sources located on state land and by adding new Subdiv. re strategic
groundwater monitoring; P.A. 89-327 amended Subsec. (b) by making technical changes to numeration and adding new
Subdiv. re analysis of water conservation practices and requirement that provisions of the plan under Subdivs. (4) and (9)
be prepared in accordance with the memorandum of understanding; P.A. 90-271 corrected an internal reference in Subsec.
(b); P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services,
effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-124 deleted Subsec. (b)(9), which required a water plan to include information deemed
necessary by the Commissioners of Public Health and Environmental Protection or Public Utilities Control Authority,
deleted the words "but not be limited to" in Subsec. (b) before the list of what the plan must include and in Subsec. (c)
before what the regulations must include, amended Subsec. (c) to require that the regulations include a method for calculating
safe yield, the contents of emergency and conservation plans and a mechanism for determining completeness of the plan
and to require that plan be deemed complete under specified circumstances and time frames; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health,
effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 96-180 amended Subsec. (c) to authorize the commissioner to request information required
by regulation in reviewing water supply plans, deleting a former limitation re only regulations required by this subsection,
effective June 3, 1996; P.A. 97-314 amended Subsec. (a) to require notice of revisions of water supply plans to be sent to
certain private, nonprofit, land-holding organizations; P.A. 98-157 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting notice requirements
re revision of water supply plan, Subsec. (b)(6) to require that plan identify the acreage and location of land proposed to
be sold, sources of public water supply to be abandoned, and any land owned by the company which it has designated, or
plans to designate, as class III land, Subsec. (c) by adding that Departments of Environmental Protection and Public Utility
Control, in the case of any plan which may impact any water company regulated by the agency, shall have 90 days upon notice
that a plan is deemed complete to comment on the plan, and by adding a new Subsec. (d) setting out notice requirements when
any water company submits a plan or revision or amendment of a plan after July 1, 1998, and requiring the Commissioner
of Public Health to take into consideration any public comments when making any determination or approval under this
section, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 02-102 amended Subsec. (a) by making a technical change, added Subsec. (b)(9) re
evaluations of source water protection measures on and after January 1, 2004, added new Subsec. (c) re sabotage prevention
and response procedures, redesignated existing Subsecs. (c) and (d) as Subsecs. (d) and (e) and amended redesignated
Subsec. (d) re requirement for regulations to include "the contents of an evaluation of source water protection measures";
P.A. 03-278 made a technical change in Subsec. (e), effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 09-220 amended Subsec. (a) by changing
time frame re filing revised water supply plan to not less than 6 or more than 9 years after date of most recently approved
plan, by requiring water companies that fail to adhere to drinking water standards to file revised plans 6 years after date
of most recently approved plan, by requiring that plan revisions shall minimally consist of updates to elements that have
changed since date of most recently approved plan and by making technical changes, and added Subsec. (b)(10) re brief
summary of the water company's underground infrastructure replacement practices.
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Sec. 25-32e. Imposition of civil penalties for violations of certain drinking
water laws and regulations. (a) If, upon review, investigation or inspection, the Commissioner of Public Health determines that a water company has violated any provision
of section 25-32, section 25-32d or any regulation adopted under section 25-32d, or any
regulation in the Public Health Code relating to the purity and adequacy of water supplies
or to the testing of water supplies or any report of such testing, the commissioner may
impose a civil penalty not to exceed five thousand dollars per violation per day upon such
water company. Governmental immunity shall not be a defense against the imposition
of any civil penalty imposed pursuant to this section. The commissioner shall adopt
regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, establishing a schedule or
schedules of the amounts, or the ranges of amounts, of civil penalties which may be
imposed under this section. In adopting such regulations, the commissioner shall consider the size of or the number of persons served by the water company, the level of
assessment necessary to insure immediate and continued compliance with such provision, and the character and degree of injury or impairment to or interference with or
threat thereof to: (1) The purity of drinking water supplies; (2) the adequacy of drinking
water supplies; and (3) the public health, safety or welfare. No such civil penalty may
be imposed until the regulations required by this subsection have been adopted.
(b) In setting a civil penalty in a particular case, the commissioner shall consider
all factors which the commissioner deems relevant, including, but not limited to, the
following: (1) The amount of assessment necessary to insure immediate and continued
compliance with such provision; (2) the character and degree of impact of the violation
on the purity and adequacy of drinking water supplies; (3) whether the water company
incurring the civil penalty is taking all feasible steps or procedures necessary or appropriate to comply with such provisions or to correct the violation; (4) any prior violations
by such water company of statutes, regulations, orders or permits administered, adopted
or issued by the commissioner; (5) the character and degree of injury to, or interference
with, public health, safety or welfare which has been or may be caused by such violation;
and (6) after the adoption of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act Public Notification
Rule pursuant to section 5 of public act 01-185*, whether the consumers of the water
company have been notified of such violation pursuant to such rule.
(c) If the commissioner has reason to believe that a violation has occurred, the
commissioner may impose a penalty if compliance is not achieved by a specified date
and send to the violator, by certified mail, return receipt requested, or personal service,
a notice which shall include: (1) A reference to the sections of the statute or regulation
involved; (2) a short and plain statement of the matters asserted or charged; (3) a statement of the amount of the civil penalty or penalties to be imposed; (4) the initial date
of the imposition of the penalty; and (5) a statement of the party's right to a hearing.
The commissioner shall send a copy of such notice to the local director of health in the
municipality or municipalities in which such violation occurred or that utilize such
water.
(d) The civil penalty shall be payable for noncompliance on the date specified in
subsection (c) of this section and for each day thereafter until the water company against
which the penalty was issued notifies the commissioner that the violation has been
corrected. Upon receipt of such notification, the commissioner shall determine whether
or not the violation has been corrected and shall notify the water company, in writing,
of such determination. The water company may, within twenty days after such notice
is sent by the commissioner, request a hearing to contest an adverse determination. If,
after such hearing, the commissioner finds that the violation still exists, or if the water
company fails to request a hearing, the penalty shall continue in force from the original
date of imposition.
(e) The water company to which the notice is addressed shall have twenty days
from the date of mailing of the notice to make written application to the commissioner
for a hearing to contest the imposition of the penalty. The water company shall send a
copy of such application to the local director of health in the municipality or municipalities in which such violation occurred or that utilize such water. All hearings under this
section shall be conducted pursuant to sections 4-176e to 4-184, inclusive, except that
the presiding officer shall automatically grant each local director of health in the municipality or municipalities in which such violation occurred or that utilize such water the
right to be heard in the proceeding. Any civil penalty may be mitigated by the commissioner upon such terms and conditions as the commissioner, in the commissioner's
discretion, deems proper or necessary upon consideration of the factors set forth in
subsection (b) of this section.
(f) A final order of the commissioner assessing a civil penalty shall be subject to
appeal as set forth in section 4-183 after a hearing before the commissioner pursuant to
subsection (e) of this section, except that any such appeal shall be taken to the superior
court for the judicial district of New Britain and shall have precedence in the order of
trial as provided in section 52-191. Such final order shall not be subject to appeal under
any other provision of the general statutes. No challenge to any such final order shall
be allowed as to any issue which could have been raised by an appeal of an earlier order,
notice, permit, denial or other final decision by the commissioner. The local director of
health in the municipality or municipalities in which such violation occurred or that
utilize such water for which the order was assessed shall have the right to be heard on
such appeal.
(g) If any water company fails to pay any civil penalty, the Attorney General, upon
request of the commissioner, may bring an action in the superior court for the judicial
district of Hartford to obtain enforcement of the penalty by the court. All actions brought
by the Attorney General pursuant to the provisions of this section shall have precedence
in the order of trial as provided in section 52-191.
(h) The provisions of this section are in addition to and not in derogation of any
other enforcement provisions of any statute administered by the commissioner. The
powers, duties and remedies provided in such other statutes, and the existence of or
exercise of any powers, duties or remedies under this section or under such other statute
shall not prevent the commissioner from exercising any other powers, duties or remedies
available to the commissioner at law or in equity.
(P.A. 85-450, S. 1; P.A. 88-230, S. 1, 12; 88-317, S. 86, 107; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; 93-381, S. 9,
39; P.A. 95-220, S. 4-6; 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-329, S. 6, 31; P.A. 99-215, S. 24, 29; P.A. 00-90, S. 2, 3; P.A. 01-185,
S. 1.)
*Note: Section 5 of public act 01-185 is special in nature and therefore has not been codified but remains in full force
and effect according to its terms.
History: P.A. 88-230 replaced "judicial district of Hartford-New Britain" with "judicial district of Hartford", effective
September 1, 1991; P.A. 88-317 amended reference to Secs. 4-177 to 4-184 in Subsec. (e) to include new sections added
to Ch. 54, effective July 1, 1989, and applicable to all agency proceedings commencing on or after that date; P.A. 90-98
changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 93-142 changed the
effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996, effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 93-381 replaced
commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A.
95-220 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1995;
P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and
Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-329 specified applicability of Public Health Code regulations
relating "to the purity and adequacy of water supplies", effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 99-215 replaced "judicial district of
Hartford" with "judicial district of New Britain" in Subsec. (f), effective June 29, 1999; P.A. 00-90 made technical changes
in Subsecs. (a) to (e), (g) and (h), and amended Subsec. (a) by adding reference to Sec. 25-32, adding provision re imposition
of a civil penalty per violation per day and adding provision requiring the commissioner to consider the size of or the
number of persons served by the water company, effective May 26, 2000; P.A. 01-185 amended Subsec. (b) by adding
Subdiv. (6) to allow the commissioner to consider, in setting a civil penalty, whether, upon the commissioner's adoption
of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act Public Notification Rule, the consumers of the water company have been notified
of the violation pursuant to such rule, amended Subsec. (c) to require the commissioner to send a copy of the notice stating
the alleged violation to the local director of health in the municipality or municipalities in which such violation occurred
or that utilize such water, amended Subsec. (e) to require a water company that has made a written application for a hearing
to send a copy of such application to the local director of health in the municipality or municipalities in which such violation
occurred or that utilize such water and to grant the local director of health in such municipality or municipalities the right
to be heard in the proceeding, and amended Subsec. (f) to grant such local director or directors the right to be heard in an
appeal of a final order.
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Sec. 25-32f. Testimony by commissioner on municipal actions. Appeals. The
Commissioner of Public Health or his designee may submit written testimony to any
municipal board or commission and may appear by right as a party to any hearing before
such municipal board or commission concerning any proposed municipal plan of conservation and development or zoning regulations or changes thereto affecting a public
water supply or a municipal approval, permit or license for a building, use or structure
affecting a public water supply and said commissioner may appeal, or appear as a party
to any appeal of, a municipal decision concerning such matters whether or not he has
appeared as a party before the municipal board or commission. If the decision of such
board or commission is upheld by a court of competent jurisdiction, the state shall
reimburse the municipality within three months for all costs incurred in defending the
appeal.
(P.A. 85-279, S. 1; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-335, S. 23, 26.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-335 amended section to
change "plan of development" to "plan of conservation and development", effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-32g. Orders to correct immediate threats to public water supplies. If
the Commissioner of Public Health finds after investigation that any person is causing,
engaging in or maintaining, or is about to cause, engage in or maintain, any condition
or activity which violates any provision of sections 19a-36 to 19a-39, inclusive, or
sections 25-32 to 25-53, inclusive, or any regulation or permit adopted or issued thereunder and constitutes an immediate threat to the quality or adequacy of any source of water
supply, the commissioner may, without prior hearing, issue an order in writing to such
person to discontinue, abate, alleviate or correct such condition or activity. Upon receipt
of such an order such person shall immediately discontinue, abate, alleviate or correct
such condition or activity. The commissioner shall, within ten days after such order,
hold a hearing to provide the person an opportunity to be heard and show that such
condition, activity or violation does not exist. The local director of health in the municipality or municipalities in which such violation occurred or that utilize such water shall
have the right to be heard in such proceeding. Such order shall remain in effect until
ten days after the hearing within which time a new decision based on the hearing shall
be made.
(P.A. 85-279, S. 2; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58, 95-329, S. 9, 31; P.A. 01-185, S. 2; P.A. 02-89,
S. 69.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-329 replaced reference to
"imminent" water supply damage with reference to specific statutory violations constituting an "immediate" threat, allowed
orders to "correct" a condition and made technical changes, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 01-185 made technical changes
for purposes of gender neutrality and granted the local director of health in the municipality or municipalities in which
such violation occurred or that utilize such water the right to be heard in the hearing on the order; P.A. 02-89 replaced
reference to Sec. 25-54 with reference to Sec. 25-53, reflecting repeal of Sec. 25-54 by the same public act.
See Sec. 52-473a re court order enjoining or restraining enforcement of commissioner's cease and desist order.
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Sec. 25-32h. Residential retrofit program, civil penalty. Section 25-32h is repealed, effective October 1, 2002.
(P.A. 89-266, S. 1; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 94-144, S. 1, 6; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 02-89, S. 90.)
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Sec. 25-32i. Residential Water-Saving Advisory Board. There is created a Residential Water-Saving Advisory Board to advise the Commissioner of Public Health on
educational materials or information on water conservation. The board shall consist of
eight members as follows: The Commissioners of Environmental Protection and Public
Health, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, the chairperson of the
Public Utilities Control Authority, and the Consumer Counsel, or their respective designees; a representative of a small investor-owned water company, who shall be appointed
by the minority leader of the Senate; a representative of a large investor-owned water
company, who shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;
and a representative of a municipal or regional water authority, who shall be jointly
appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate and the speaker of the House of
Representatives. The Governor shall designate the chairman of the board.
(P.A. 89-266, S. 3; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 94-144, S. 5, 6; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-144 removed reference to Sec. 25-32h program and added requirement to provide
educational materials to customers, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public
Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-32j. Installation of reduced-pressure-principle backflow preventers,
when required. Section 25-32j is repealed.
(May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-14, S. 8, 11; P.A. 95-110.)
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Sec. 25-32k. Provision of educational materials to water company customers
addressing water conservation, water supply source protection, and the health
effects and sources of lead and copper. Civil penalty. (a) Each water company, as
defined in section 25-32a, serving one thousand or more persons or two hundred fifty
or more consumers, as defined in section 25-32a, shall annually provide to residential
customers, without charge, educational materials or information on (1) water conservation, (2) water supply source protection methods, including methods to reduce contamination, and (3) on or before July 1, 2002, and annually thereafter, information developed
by the Commissioner of Public Health, pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, on the
health effects and sources of lead and copper. Every year each public water company
shall provide a copy of these educational materials to the Commissioner of Public Health.
(b) The Commissioner of Public Health shall, within available resources, develop,
in consultation with public water suppliers, public education materials on health effects
and sources of lead and copper, which shall be distributed pursuant to subsection (a) of
this section.
(c) The Commissioner of Public Health may impose a civil penalty on any water
company that violates the provisions of this section. In imposing such civil penalty, the
commissioner shall comply with the procedures set forth in section 25-32e, except that
the amount shall not exceed five thousand dollars per violation. Each year the company
fails to offer educational materials or information on water conservation shall be deemed
to be a separate violation.
(P.A. 94-144, S. 2, 6; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-329, S. 7, 31; P.A. 96-100, S. 1; P.A. 01-185, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 94-144 effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and
Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-329 limited water
companies referred to in Subsec. (a) to those serving 1,000 or more persons or 250 or more consumers, effective July 1, 1995;
P.A. 96-100 required that information on water supply source protection methods be disclosed to residential customers; P.A.
01-185 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that each water company shall, on or before July 1, 2002, and annually thereafter,
provide to its customers information developed by the commissioner on the health effects and sources of lead and copper,
added a new Subsec. (b) to require the commissioner to develop, in consultation with public water suppliers, such information, and designated the existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c).
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Sec. 25-32l. Inclusion of educational materials on water conservation may be
required in water supply plans. The Commissioner of Public Health may require in
a water supply plan, prepared pursuant to section 25-32d, the inclusion of a description
of a water company's program to provide educational material or information on water
conservation to residential customers.
(P.A. 94-144, S. 3, 6; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 94-144 effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and
Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-32m. Sale of bottled water by water company or municipality. (a) Any
water company, as defined in section 25-32a, may engage in the sale of bottled water
or establish an entity under chapter 601 for the purpose of engaging in the sale of bottled
water within or outside of its franchise area. The costs and expenses of a water company
associated with the sale of bottled water shall be exclusive of the costs and expenses
associated with the establishment of rates and charges for the use of the waterworks
system pursuant to section 7-239.
(b) Any municipality may exercise the authority provided for in subsection (a) of
this section notwithstanding the provisions of any special act, municipal charter or home
rule ordinance. A municipality shall establish such entity upon approval of the chief
executive officer of the municipality and by adoption of an ordinance approved by a
vote of two-thirds of the members present at a meeting of the legislative body of the
municipality or the board of selectmen or city or town council, in the case of a municipality in which the legislative body is a town meeting.
(P.A. 99-188, S. 1.)
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Sec. 25-32n. Water service to a school administration building from a well.
Notwithstanding the provisions of the general statutes, a municipality with a population
between thirty-eight thousand and forty-three thousand persons, as enumerated in the
2000 federal decennial census, that, as of June 26, 2003, has a well that provides water
service to a school administration building having less than seventy-five employees
shall not be considered a water company for purposes of title 16 and this title. Nothing
in this section shall relieve such municipality from testing the water in such well where
testing is required by law.
(P.A. 03-175, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 03-175 effective June 26, 2003.
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Sec. 25-33. Water company: Reporting and record retention requirements.
Plan required for construction or expansion of a water supply system or a proposed
new source of water supply. Regulations. (a) On or before January first, annually,
each water company shall file with the Department of Public Health, in such form as
the Commissioner of Public Health shall prescribe, a written statement containing the
following information: (1) The business name and address of the water company; (2)
the name and residence address of the proprietor thereof or, if a partnership, the name
and residence address of each partner or, if an association or corporation, the name and
residence address of each officer and director; (3) the number and types of its consumers
and a description of the area which the company serves; (4) an identification and description of its source of water supply; and (5) such other information as the Commissioner
of Public Health may require.
(b) No system of water supply owned or used by a water company shall be constructed or expanded or a new additional source of water supply utilized until the plans
therefor have been submitted to and reviewed and approved by the department, except
that no such prior review or approval is required for distribution water main installations
that are constructed in accordance with sound engineering standards and all applicable
laws and regulations. A plan for any proposed new source of water supply submitted
to the department pursuant to this subsection shall include documentation that provides
for: (1) A brief description of potential effects that the proposed new source of water
supply may have on nearby water supply systems including public and private wells;
and (2) the water company's ownership or control of the proposed new source of water
supply's sanitary radius and minimum setback requirements as specified in the regulations of Connecticut state agencies and that such ownership or control shall continue to
be maintained as specified in such regulations. If the department determines, based upon
documentation provided, that the water company does not own or control the proposed
new source of water supply's sanitary radius or minimum setback requirements as specified in the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, the department shall require the
water company proposing a new source of water supply to supply additional documentation to the department that adequately demonstrates the alternative methods that will
be utilized to assure the proposed new source of water supply's long-term purity and
adequacy. In reviewing any plan for a proposed new source of water supply, the department shall consider the issues specified in this subsection. The Commissioner of Public
Health may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry
out the provisions of this subsection and subsection (c) of this section. For purposes of
this subsection and subsection (c) of this section, "distribution water main installations"
means installations, extensions, replacements or repairs of public water supply system
mains from which water is or will be delivered to one or more service connections and
which do not require construction or expansion of pumping stations, storage facilities,
treatment facilities or sources of supply.
(c) Each water company shall report to the Department of Public Health, annually
in an electronic format prescribed by the department, the number and location of all
new distribution water main installations.
(d) Each petition to the General Assembly for authority to develop or introduce any
system of public water supply shall be accompanied by a copy of the recommendation
and advice of said department thereon.
(e) Each water company shall maintain (1) a list of the names and addresses of its
customers, and (2) the results of water purity tests conducted under this chapter. Such
list and results shall be retained for a period of three years and be available for inspection
and copying by the Department of Public Health and municipal and district health departments, for the purpose of public health investigations.
(1949 Rev., S. 4016; 1967, P.A. 691, S. 4; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 80-157; P.A. 81-358, S. 5; P.A. 85-336, S.
5, 6; P.A. 88-253, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 06-98, S. 1; P.A. 08-137, S. 1.)
History: 1967 act divided section into Subsecs., made filing of information by water companies mandatory where
previously information required only upon health department's request and specified contents of statement to be filed,
required submission and approval of company expansion or use of new water supply and added reference to department's
advisory role re methods of assuring adequacy of supply; P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of
health services, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-157 required submission and approval of abandonment of water source
in Subsec. (b); P.A. 81-358 added provision in Subsec. (b) requiring department consideration of a proposed new water
supply's effect on nearby supply systems; P.A. 85-336 amended Subsec. (b) by eliminating the requirement that plans for
abandonment of a water supply source be filed with the commissioner prior to abandonment; P.A. 88-253 added Subsec.
(d) re maintenance and availability of list of names and addresses of water company customers and results of water purity
tests; P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and commissioner of public
health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health
and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 06-98 made a
technical change in Subsec. (a), amended Subsec. (b) by exempting certain distribution water main installations from
Department of Public Health's review and approval process and defining "distribution water main installations", added
new Subsec. (c) establishing reporting requirements re number and location of new distribution water main installations,
redesignated existing Subsecs. (c) and (d) as Subsecs. (d) and (e), respectively, and made a technical change in said Subsec.
(e); P.A. 08-137 amended Subsec. (b) by restructuring provision re submission of plan for proposed new source of water
supply, by specifying required plan content and department's authority to request additional documentation from water
company, by permitting commissioner to adopt regulations to carry out provisions of Subsecs. (b) and (c) and by making
technical changes.
See Sec. 2-20a re bills for the incorporation and franchise of water companies.
See Sec. 25-33k re permit to abandon water supply source.
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Sec. 25-33a. State grants for water facilities. State bond authorization. (a) The
State Bond Commission shall have power, from time to time to authorize the issuance
of bonds of the state in one or more series and in principal amounts not exceeding in
the aggregate four million one hundred fifty-one thousand five hundred ninety-nine
dollars, for the purposes of providing funds for (1) grants to municipally-owned water
companies for the planning, design, modification or construction of drinking water facilities of such companies made necessary by the requirements of the Safe Water Act of
1974, or by an order of the Department of Public Health deeming the water supplied
by such companies to be inadequate, which facilities shall include, but need not be
limited to, collection facilities, treatment facilities, wells, tanks, mains, pumps, transmission facilities and any other machinery and equipment necessary to meet the requirements of said act, (2) grants in accordance with the provisions of section 22a-471 to water
companies, as defined in section 25-32a, which have less than ten thousand customers, as
defined in said section 25-32a, for the treatment of a contaminated water supply well
which is owned, maintained, operated, managed, controlled or employed by the water
company, and (3) water supply emergency assistance grants to investor-owned water
companies which supply water to at least twenty-five but less than one thousand customers for repair, rehabilitation, interconnection or replacement, in the event that such company has ceased to provide water as a result of equipment or facility failure and the
Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, upon recommendation of
the Department of Public Health and in consultation with the Department of Public
Utility Control, makes a determination that the company is financially unable to immediately restore service and there is no alternative water company reasonably able to immediately supply water. The grants shall be made in accordance with terms and conditions
as provided in regulations to be promulgated by the Commissioner of Economic and
Community Development, subject to approval by the Commissioner of Public Health,
provided the amount of any such grant under subdivision (1) of this subsection shall
not exceed one hundred thousand dollars or thirty per cent of the cost of the project
being funded by the grant, whichever is greater. For the purposes of this section, planning
costs shall include, but need not be limited to, fees and expenses of architects, engineers,
attorneys, accountants and other professional consultants, and costs of preparing surveys, studies, site plans and plans and specifications for eligible drinking water facilities.
Not more than four million dollars of the proceeds of such bonds shall be allocated to
the municipally-owned water companies grant program under subdivision (1) of this
subsection, not more than two million dollars of the proceeds of such bonds shall be
allocated for the treatment of contaminated water supply wells which are owned, maintained, operated, managed, controlled or employed by a water company under subdivision (2) of this subsection, and not more than seven hundred thousand dollars of the
proceeds of such bonds shall be allocated to the investor-owned emergency assistance
grant program under subdivision (3) of this subsection.
(b) All provisions of section 3-20 or the exercise of any right or power granted
thereby which are not inconsistent with the provisions of this section and sections 12-75, 12-76 and 25-33b are hereby adopted and shall apply to all bonds authorized by the
State Bond Commission pursuant to this section, and temporary notes in anticipation
of the money to be derived from the sale of any such bonds so authorized may be issued
in accordance with said section 3-20 and from time to time renewed. Such bonds shall
mature at such time or times not exceeding twenty years from their respective dates
as may be provided in or pursuant to the resolution or resolutions of the State Bond
Commission authorizing such bonds. None of said bonds shall be authorized except
upon a finding by the State Bond Commission that there has been filed with it a request
for such authorization, which is signed by or on behalf of the Commissioner of Economic
and Community Development and states such terms and conditions as said commission,
in its discretion, may require. Said bonds issued pursuant to this section shall be general
obligations of the state and the full faith and credit of the state of Connecticut are pledged
for the payment of the principal of and interest on said bonds as the same become due,
and accordingly and as part of the contract of the state with the holders of said bonds,
appropriation of all amounts necessary for punctual payment of such principal and interest is hereby made, and the Treasurer shall pay such principal and interest as the same
become due.
(c) Each grant made pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be authorized
by the Connecticut Development Authority or, if the authority so determines, by a committee of the authority consisting of the chairman and either one other member of the
authority or its executive director. The Connecticut Development Authority shall charge
reasonable application and other fees to be applied to the administrative expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this section, to the extent such expenses are not
paid by the authority or from moneys appropriated to the department. Each such payment
shall be made by the Treasurer upon certification by the Commissioner of Economic
and Community Development that the payment is authorized under the provisions of
this section under the applicable rules and regulations of the department, and under the
terms and conditions established by the authority or the duly appointed committee
thereof in authorizing the making of the grant.
(P.A. 78-273, S. 3, 5; 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 80-451, S. 1, 2; P.A. 81-370, S. 7, 13; P.A. 82-136, S. 1, 2; P.A. 83-522,
S. 1, 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-33, S. 16, 17; P.A. 84-349, S. 1, 2; P.A. 85-407, S. 4, 9; 85-483, S. 1, 2; P.A. 86-403, S. 59,
132; P.A. 87-416, S. 15, 24; P.A. 88-265, S. 30, 36; P.A. 89-119, S. 1, 4; P.A. 90-297, S. 15, 24; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39;
P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6; P.A. 98-259, S. 12, 17.)
History: P.A. 78-273 effective June 1, 1978, and applicable to the 1978 assessment list in any town; P.A. 78-303
authorized editorial changes to conform section to amendments enacted by P.A. 77-614; P.A. 80-451 amended Subsec.
(a)(1) to specify lower size limit of companies, to clarify use of funds for drinking water facilities, to specify what constitutes
planning costs, to limit amounts to be used for investor-owned and municipal companies and to set interest rate and added
Subsecs. (c) and (d); P.A. 81-370 increased the aggregate of bonds the bond commission may authorize for purposes of this
section from $7,000,000 to $9,000,000, increasing authorization for municipally-owned water companies grant program by
$2,000,000; P.A. 82-136 amended Subsec. (a) to expand facilities eligible for loans to include those required by a department
of health services order deeming water supplied to be inadequate; P.A. 83-522 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that bond
proceeds may be used for loans to municipally-owned water companies, grants to municipally-owned companies may be
made for design or modification in addition to planning or construction as previously allowed, the amount of any such
loan or grant may not exceed $100,000 or 30% of the cost of the project, whichever is greater, and no loan or grant may
be made under this section after June 30, 1984; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-33 removed loans from ceiling amount imposed by
P.A. 83-522; P.A. 84-349 deleted provision terminating the program on June 30, 1984; P.A. 85-407 increased bond limit
from $9,000,000 to $11,000,000 to provide for grants to water companies for treatment of contaminated water supply
wells; P.A. 85-483 increased bond limit by additional $700,000, to provide for water supply emergency assistance grants
to investor-owned water companies; P.A. 86-403 made technical changes in Subsec. (a); P.A. 87-416 provided that the
interest rates on loans would be determined in accordance with Sec. 3-20(t); P.A. 88-265 reduced the bond limit in Subsec.
(a) from $11,700,000 to $6,700,000 and eliminated provisions re state loans for drinking water facilities; P.A. 89-119
made technical change to Subsec. (c); P.A. 90-297 decreased the bond authorization to $4,190,584 (Revisor's note: The
Subdiv. (1) indicator in Subsec. (a) was restored editorially by the Revisors since it had been inadvertently deleted by public
act 88-265); P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and commissioner of
public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and
Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development;
P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and
Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 98-259 amended Subsec. (a) to decrease authorization from
$4,190,584 to $4,151,599, effective July 1, 1998.
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Sec. 25-33b. Regulations re loans and grants to water companies. The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall adopt regulations in accordance
with chapter 54 which specify the terms and conditions of low-interest loans and grants
to water companies and any additional requirements necessary to carry out the purposes
of section 12-76.
(P.A. 78-273, S. 4, 5; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6.)
History: P.A. 78-273 effective June 1, 1978, and applicable to the 1978 assessment list in any town; P.A. 95-250 and
P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and Department of
Economic and Community Development.
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Sec. 25-33c. Legislative finding. The General Assembly finds that an adequate
supply of potable water for domestic, commercial and industrial use is vital to the health
and well-being of the people of the state. Readily available water for use in public water
systems is limited and should be developed with a minimum of loss and waste. In order
to maximize efficient and effective development of the state's public water supply systems and to promote public health, safety and welfare, the Department of Public Health
shall administer a procedure to coordinate the planning of public water supply systems.
(P.A. 85-535, S. 1, 13; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services,
effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with
Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-33d. Definitions. As used in sections 25-33c to 25-33j, inclusive:
(a) "Public water system" means any private, municipal or regional utility supplying
water to fifteen or more service connections or twenty-five or more persons;
(b) "Public water supply management area" means a region determined by the Commissioner of Public Health to have similar water supply problems and characteristics;
(c) "Exclusive service area" means an area where public water is supplied by one
system;
(d) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Public Health;
(e) "Satellite management" means management of a public water supply system by
another water company;
(f) "Coordinated water system plan" means (1) the individual water system plans
of each public water system within a public water supply management area, filed pursuant to section 25-32d, and (2) an area-wide supplement to such plans developed pursuant
to section 25-33h which addresses water system concerns pertaining to the public water
supply management area as a whole.
(P.A. 85-535, S. 2, 13; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-33e. Delineation of public water supply management areas. (a) Not
more than six months after July 1, 1985, the Commissioner of Public Health, in consultation with the Department of Public Utility Control, the Commissioner of Environmental
Protection and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, shall delineate
the preliminary boundaries of public water supply management areas and establish preliminary priorities for initiation in such areas of the planning process established in
sections 25-33f to 25-33h, inclusive. Not more than one year after July 1, 1985, the
commissioner, after a hearing, shall delineate the final boundaries of such areas. In
making such delineation, the commissioner shall consider the following: (1) The similarity of water supply problems among water companies operating in the preliminary management area; (2) population density and distribution in the area; (3) the location of
existing sources of public water supply, service areas or franchise areas; (4) existing
interconnections between public water systems; (5) municipal and regional planning
agency boundaries; (6) natural drainage basins; (7) topographic and geologic characteristics; and (8) any other factor he deems relevant.
(b) Not more than one year after July 1, 1985, the commissioner, after hearing, shall
establish the final priorities for initiation of the planning process. In establishing such
priorities the commissioner shall consider the existence and severity of the following
in each management area: (1) Uncoordinated planning, (2) inadequate water supply, (3)
unreliable water service, and (4) any other factor he deems relevant.
(P.A. 85-535, S. 3, 13; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-33f. Water utility coordinating committees. Membership. (a) The
Commissioner of Public Health, following the final priorities established pursuant to
section 25-33e, shall convene a water utility coordinating committee for each public
water supply management area to implement the planning process established by this
section and sections 25-33g and 25-33h.
(b) A water utility coordinating committee shall consist of one representative from
each public water system with a source of water supply or a service area within the
public water supply management area and one representative from each regional planning agency within such area, elected by majority vote of the chief elected officials of
the municipalities that are members of such regional planning agency. Each committee
shall elect a chairman, adopt and amend, as required, a work plan and schedule for a
coordinated plan and adopt rules, including, but not limited to, rules for publication of
meeting times and agendas, and for public comment, including notice of a comment
period and documentation of responses to comments.
(P.A. 85-535, S. 4, 13; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-33g. Assessment of water supply conditions and problems. Exclusive
service area boundaries. (a) Each water utility coordinating committee, in consultation
with the Commissioners of Public Health and Environmental Protection, the Secretary
of the Office of Policy and Management and the Department of Public Utility Control,
shall develop a preliminary assessment of water supply conditions and problems within
the public water supply management area. The committee shall solicit comments on the
preliminary assessment from municipalities, regional planning agencies, state agencies
and other interested parties and respond to any comment received. The committee shall
thereafter prepare a final assessment.
(b) The committee shall establish preliminary exclusive service area boundaries,
based on the final assessment, for each public water system within the management
area, and may change such boundaries. In establishing exclusive service area boundaries
the committee shall solicit comments on such boundaries from municipalities, regional
planning agencies, the Commissioners of Environmental Protection and Public Health,
the Department of Public Utility Control, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and
Management and other interested persons within the management area and respond to
any comment received. If there is no agreement by the committee on such boundaries,
or on a change to such boundaries, the committee shall consult with the Department of
Public Utility Control. If there is no agreement by the committee after such consultation,
the Commissioner of Public Health shall establish or may change such exclusive service
area boundaries taking into consideration any water company rights established by statute, special act or administrative decisions. In establishing such boundaries the commissioner shall maintain existing service areas and consider the orderly and efficient development of public water supplies. In considering any change to exclusive service area
boundaries, the commissioner shall maintain existing service areas, consider established
exclusive service areas, and consider the orderly and efficient development of public
water supplies.
(P.A. 85-535, S. 5, 13; P.A. 86-403, S. 60, 132; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 02-139, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 86-403 made technical change in Subsec. (a); P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with
commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and
Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July
1, 1995; P.A. 02-139 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provisions re authority of committee and commissioner to change
exclusive service area boundries.
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Sec. 25-33h. Coordinated water system plan. Regulations. (a) Each water utility
coordinating committee shall prepare a coordinated water system plan in the public
water supply management area. Such plan shall be submitted to the Commissioner of
Public Health for his approval not more than two years after the first meeting of the
committee. The plan shall promote cooperation among public water systems and include, but not be limited to, provisions for (1) integration of public water systems,
consistent with the protection and enhancement of public health and well-being; (2)
integration of water company plans; (3) exclusive service areas; (4) joint management or
ownership of services; (5) satellite management services; (6) interconnections between
public water systems; (7) integration of land use and water system plans; (8) minimum
design standards; (9) water conservation; (10) the impact on other uses of water resources; and (11) acquisition of land surrounding wells proposed to be located in stratified drifts.
(b) The plan shall be adopted in accordance with the provisions of this section.
The committee shall prepare a draft of the plan and solicit comments thereon from
the Commissioners of Public Health and Environmental Protection, the Department of
Public Utility Control, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and any
municipality, regional planning agency or other interested party within the management
area. The municipalities and regional planning agencies shall comment on, but shall not
be limited to commenting on, the consistency of the plan with local and regional land
use plans and policies. The Department of Public Utility Control shall comment on, but
shall not be limited to commenting on, the cost-effectiveness of the plan. The Secretary
of the Office of Policy and Management shall comment on, but shall not be limited to
commenting on, the consistency of the plan with state policies. The Commissioner of
Environmental Protection shall comment on, but shall not be limited to commenting
on, the availability of water for any proposed diversion. The Commissioner of Public
Health shall comment on, but shall not be limited to commenting on, the availability of
pure and adequate water supplies, potential conflicts over the use of such supplies, and
consistency with the goals of sections 25-33c to 25-33j, inclusive.
(c) The Commissioner of Public Health shall adopt regulations in accordance with
the provisions of chapter 54 establishing the contents of a plan and a procedure for
approval or amendment to the plan.
(P.A. 85-535, S. 6, 13; P.A. 89-305, S. 24, 32; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 97-84; P.A. 02-139, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 89-305 amended Subsec. (a) by adding Subdiv. (10), concerning acquisition of land surrounding wells
proposed to be located in stratified drifts, as component of plan; P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services
with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner
and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective
July 1, 1995; P.A. 97-84 added new Subsec. (a)(9) re water conservation, renumbering remaining Subdivs. accordingly;
P.A. 02-139 amended Subsec. (c) by requiring the commissioner to adopt regulations re amendment to the plan.
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Sec. 25-33i. Consistency with plan. Restriction on approval of public water
supply system. (a) Any permit issued by the Commissioner of Public Health pursuant
to this chapter shall, to the extent feasible, be consistent with any coordinated plan
adopted pursuant to section 25-33h.
(b) No public water supply system may be approved within a public water supply
management area after the Commissioner of Public Health has convened a water utility
coordinating committee unless (1) an existing public water supply system is unable to
provide water service or (2) the committee recommends such approval.
(P.A. 85-535, S. 7, 13; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-33j. Contract for services to water utility coordinating committee. The
Commissioner of Public Health may enter into contracts with consultants to provide
services to water utility coordinating committees. The amount of any contract shall not
exceed two hundred thousand dollars. Any appropriation made to the Department of
Public Health for the purposes of this section shall not lapse until The Department
of Public Health has completed the planning process for a water utility coordinating
committee.
(P.A. 85-535, S. 8, 13; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 98-89.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and commissioner of
public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public
Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 98-89
changed "one contract per year with a consultant" to "contracts with consultants", changed "coordinating committee" to
"coordinating committees", changed the dollar limit from $100 to $200, and changed the lapse date from June 30 of the
second year following the appropriations to when the department has completed the planning process.
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Sec. 25-33k. Abandonment of source of water supply. Definition. Application
and notification to municipalities. Basis for commissioner's decision. (a) For purposes of this section, "safe yield" means the maximum dependable quantity of water
per unit of time that may flow or be pumped continuously from a source of supply during
a critical dry period without consideration of available water limitations.
(b) No source of water supply shall be abandoned by a water company or other
entity without a permit from the Commissioner of Public Health. A water company or
other entity shall apply for such permit in the manner prescribed by the commissioner.
Not later than thirty days before filing an application for such permit, the applicant shall
notify the chief elected official of any municipality in which such source of supply is
located. Not later than sixty days after receipt of such notification the municipality or
municipalities receiving such notice and any water company as defined in section 25-32a may submit comments on such application to the commissioner. The commissioner
shall take such comments into consideration when reviewing the application.
(c) (1) In the commissioner's decision, the commissioner shall consider the water
supply needs of the water company, the state and any comments submitted pursuant to
subsection (b) of this section, and shall consult with the Commissioner of Environmental
Protection, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the Department
of Public Utility Control.
(2) The Commissioner of Public Health shall grant a permit upon a finding that any
groundwater source with a safe yield of less than 0.75 millions of gallons per day, any
reservoir with a safe yield of less than 0.75 millions of gallons per day, any reservoir
system with a safe yield of less than 0.75 millions of gallons per day, or any individual
source within a reservoir system when such system has a safe yield of less than 0.75
millions of gallons per day will not be needed by such water company for present or
future water supply and, in the case of a water company required to file a water supply
plan under section 25-32d, that such abandonment is consistent with a water supply
plan filed and approved pursuant to said section. No permit shall be granted if the commissioner determines that the source would be necessary for water supply by the company owning such source in an emergency or the proposed abandonment would impair
the ability of such company to provide a pure, adequate and reliable water supply for
present and projected future customers. As used in this section, a future source of water
supply shall be considered to be any source of water supply necessary to serve areas
reasonably expected to require service by the water company owning such source for
a period of not more than fifty years after the date of the application for a permit under
this section.
(3) The Commissioner of Public Health shall grant a permit upon a finding that any
groundwater source with a safe yield of more than 0.75 millions of gallons per day, any
reservoir with a safe yield of more than 0.75 millions of gallons per day, any reservoir
system with a safe yield of more than 0.75 millions of gallons per day, or any individual
source within a reservoir system when such system has a safe yield of more than 0.75
millions of gallons per day is of a size or condition that makes it unsuitable for present
or future use as a drinking water supply by the water company, other entity or the state.
In making a decision, the commissioner shall consider the general utility of the source
and the viability for use to meet water supply needs. The commissioner shall consider
any public water supply plans filed and approved pursuant to sections 25-32d and 25-33h, and any other water system plan approved by the commissioner, and the efficient
and effective development of public water supply in the state. In assessing the general
utility of the source, the commissioner shall consider factors including, but not limited
to, (A) the safe yield of the source, (B) the location of the source relative to other public
water supply systems, (C) the water quality of the source and the potential for treatment,
(D) water quality compatibility between systems and interconnections, (E) extent of
water company-owned lands for source protection of the supply, (F) types of land uses
and land use controls in the aquifer protection area or watershed and their potential
impact on water quality of the source, and (G) physical limitations to water service,
system hydraulics and topography.
(P.A. 85-336, S. 2, 6; P.A. 93-381, S. 9. 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 98-157, S. 12, 15; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2, S. 44; P.A. 07-217, S. 119.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 98-157 added provision requiring consideration of potential impairment of present and future water supply for granting permit to abandon a source,
effective July 1, 1998; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2 divided existing provisions into Subsecs. (b), (c)(1) and (c)(2), added
Subsec. (a) defining "safe yield", added provisions in Subsec. (b) re procedure for permit and notification to municipality,
amended Subsec. (c)(1) by adding requirement for commissioner to consider water supply needs of state and comments
received from municipalities, amended Subsec. (c)(2) to provide basis for commissioner's decision on application for
abandonment of smaller sources of water supply, added Subsec. (c)(3) re basis for commissioner's decision on application
for abandonment of larger sources of water supply, and made conforming and technical changes; P.A. 07-217 made
technical changes in Subsec. (c)(3), effective July 12, 2007.
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Sec. 25-33l. Sale of source, potential source or abandoned source of water supply. (a) Whenever any water company intends to sell a source, potential source or abandoned source of water supply, it shall notify the Commissioner of Public Health. The
commissioner shall order such company to notify, in writing, by certified mail, return
receipt requested, other water companies that may reasonably be expected to utilize the
source, potential source or abandoned source of its intention and the price at which it
intends to sell such source. The commissioner shall determine the water companies that
shall receive notice after consideration of public water supply plans filed and approved
pursuant to section 25-32d and any other water system plan approved by the commissioner. No agreement to sell such source may be entered into by the water company
except as hereinafter provided.
(b) Within ninety days after notice has been mailed pursuant to subsection (a) of
this section, a water company receiving notice of the sale pursuant to said subsection
shall give notice to the water company selling the source, potential source or abandoned
source of water supply by certified mail, return receipt requested, of a desire to acquire
such source and such water company shall have the right to acquire the interest in such
source for water supply purposes. If two or more water companies seek to acquire such
source, potential source or abandoned source at the price at which it is offered, the
Commissioner of Public Health shall hold a hearing to determine which company shall
be allowed to acquire such source. In making his determination, the commissioner shall
consider any public water supply plans filed and approved pursuant to section 25-32d,
any other water system plans approved by the commissioner, the needs of each company
and the efficient and effective development of public water supply in the state. The
decision of the commissioner shall be subject to appeal pursuant to section 4-183 and
shall have precedence in the order of trial as provided in section 52-191.
(c) If a water company fails to give notice pursuant to subsection (b) of this section
by certified mail, return receipt requested, of its desire to acquire such source, potential
source or abandoned source of water supply, such water company shall have waived its
right to acquire the source or potential source of water supply in accordance with the
terms of this section.
(d) The water company desiring to acquire the interest in the source, potential source
or abandoned source of water supply shall acquire such interest within twelve months
of the determination by the commissioner of which water company shall be allowed to
acquire such source. If the rates of the water company acquiring such source are regulated
by the Department of Public Utility Control, the source acquired may be included in
the rate base of such company at the acquisition price.
(P.A. 85-336, S. 3, 6; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-33m. Priority for acquisition of source, potential source or abandoned
source of water supply. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 16-50d, any water
company given written notice pursuant to subsection (b) of section 25-33l shall have
priority to acquire a source, potential source or abandoned source of water over any
municipality in which such source is located or the Commissioner of Environmental
Protection.
(P.A. 85-336, S. 4, 6.)
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Sec. 25-33n. Annual report on water planning process. On or before the second
Wednesday after the convening of each regular session of the General Assembly, the
Commissioner of Public Health shall submit a report to the joint standing committees
of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment and
public utilities, which describes the status of, for the year ending the preceding June
thirtieth, the water planning process established under sections 25-33g to 25-33j, inclusive, and efforts to expedite the process.
(P.A. 89-305, S. 20, 32; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 94-219, S. 6; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1,
S. 21, 121.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-219 required report to be sent to the joint standing committee of the general
assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy and public utilities; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and
Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July
1, 1995; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 made a technical change, effective June 24, 1998.
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Sec. 25-33o. Water Planning Council: Composition, duties, advisory group,
report. (a) The chairperson of the Public Utilities Control Authority, or the chairperson's
designee, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, or the commissioner's designee, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary's designee,
and the Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's designee, shall constitute
a Water Planning Council to address issues involving the water companies, water resources and state policies regarding the future of the state's drinking water supply. On
or after July 1, 2007, and each year thereafter, the chairperson of the Water Planning
Council shall be elected by the members of the Water Planning Council.
(b) The Water Planning Council shall conduct a study, in consultation with representatives of water companies, municipalities, agricultural groups, environmental
groups and other water users, that shall include the following issues: (1) The financial
viability, market structure, reliability of customer service and managerial competence
of water companies; (2) fair and reasonable water rates; (3) protection and appropriate
allocation of the state's water resources while providing for public water supply needs;
(4) the adequacy and quality of the state's drinking water supplies to meet current and
future needs; (5) an inventory of land and land use by water companies; (6) the status
of current withdrawals, projected withdrawals, river flows and the future needs of water
users; (7) methods for measurement and estimations of natural flows in Connecticut
waterways in order to determine standards for stream flows that will protect the ecology
of the state's rivers and streams; (8) the status of river flows and available data for
measuring river flows; (9) the streamlining of the water diversion permit process; (10)
coordination between the Departments of Environmental Protection, Public Health and
Public Utility Control in review of applications for water diversion; and (11) the procedure for coordination of planning of public water supply systems established in sections
25-33c to 25-33j, inclusive. Such study shall be conducted on both a regional and state-wide level.
(c) The council may establish an advisory group that shall serve at the pleasure of
the council. The advisory group shall be balanced between consumptive and nonconsumptive interests. The advisory group may include representatives of (1) regional and
municipal water utilities, (2) investor-owned water utilities, (3) a wastewater system, (4)
agricultural interests, (5) electric power generation interests, (6) business and industry
interests, (7) environmental land protection interests, (8) environmental river protection
interests, (9) boating interests, (10) fisheries interests, (11) recreational interests, (12)
endangered species protection interests, and (13) members of academia with expertise
in stream flow, public health and ecology.
(d) The council shall, not later than January 1, 2002, and annually thereafter, report
its preliminary findings and any proposed legislative changes to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health,
the environment and public utilities in accordance with section 11-4a, except that not
later than February 1, 2004, the council shall report its recommendations in accordance
with this subsection with regard to (1) a water allocation plan based on water budgets
for each watershed, (2) funding for water budget planning, giving priority to the most
highly stressed watersheds, and (3) the feasibility of merging the data collection and
regulatory functions of the Department of Environmental Protection's inland water resources program and the Department of Public Health's water supplies section.
(P.A. 01-177; P.A. 02-76, S. 4; P.A. 03-141, S. 3; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 2; P.A. 10-32, S. 164.)
History: P.A. 02-76 amended Subsec. (c) to add "and annually thereafter" and to delete provisions re final report and
termination of council, effective June 3, 2002; P.A. 03-141 amended Subsec. (c) to add requirement for the council to
report its recommendations on certain issues not later than February 1, 2004, effective July 1, 2003; June Sp. Sess. P.A.
07-4 amended Subsec. (a) to delete requirement that Department of Public Utility Control convene the first meeting and
to require council to elect the chairperson, added new Subsec. (c) re advisory group and redesignated the existing Subsec.
(c) as Subsec. (d), effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 10-32 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective May 10, 2010.
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Sec. 25-33p. Annual report on Water Planning Council. (a) The Office of Policy
and Management shall conduct a study to:
(1) Review and prioritize the recommendations and the goals of the Water Planning
Council developed prior to October 1, 2007;
(2) Compile information from other reports or studies regarding water resources
planning in the state;
(3) Establish a mechanism to perform an in-depth analysis of existing statutes and
regulations of the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Public
Health and the Department of Public Utility Control for areas of overlapping and conflicting or inefficient procedures;
(4) Review and summarize other states' regulatory programs and structures, relating
to water resource planning, including, but not limited to, their approaches to water allocation;
(5) Identify processes and funding needs for the evaluation of existing water diversion data and approaches to basin planning projects and coordinate water data collection
from, and analysis among, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department
of Public Health, the Department of Public Utility Control, the Office of Policy and
Management and the United States Geological Survey, and recommend supplemental
data collection, as appropriate;
(6) Evaluate existing water conservation programs and make recommendations to
enhance water conservation programs to promote a water conservation ethic and to
provide for appropriate drought response and enforcement capabilities; and
(7) Identify funding requirements and mechanisms for ongoing efforts in water
resources planning in the state.
(b) The Office of Policy and Management shall transfer sufficient funds, as determined by said office, to the Department of Environmental Protection for data collection
and analysis conducted by said department for the purposes of this section.
(c) Not later than February 1, 2008, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of the
Office of Policy and Management shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, on its findings pursuant to the study in subsection (a) of this
section, along with any recommended legislative revisions, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public utilities
and appropriations and to the Water Planning Council.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 3.)
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Sec. 25-34. Investigation of water or ice supply. (a) The Department of Public
Health may, and upon complaint shall, investigate any system of water supply or source
of water or ice supply from which water or ice used by the public is obtained, and, if it
finds any pollution or threatened pollution which in its judgment is prejudicial to public
health, it shall notify the owner or operator of such water company or system of ice
supply, or the person or corporation causing or permitting such pollution or threatened
pollution, and the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, of its findings and shall
make such orders as it deems necessary to protect such water or ice supply and render
such water or ice safe for domestic use.
(b) A copy of any such order shall be mailed to such owner or operator or such
person or corporation by certified mail, return receipt requested. Within thirty days of
the date of mailing, the recipient of the order may request a hearing to show why the
findings in the order are not based on substantial evidence or that the order is an abuse
of discretion. Upon receipt of such request the commissioner shall grant a hearing as
soon thereafter as practicable or within ten business days if the order requires immediate
compliance. The commissioner shall not grant any request for a hearing at any time
thereafter. The order shall be effective on a date set by the commissioner but the recipient
of the order may request a stay of such order pending the decision of the commissioner.
Any hearing shall be deemed to be a contested case and held in accordance with the
provisions of chapter 54. The request for a hearing shall be a condition precedent to an
appeal under the provisions of section 25-36.
(1949 Rev., S. 4017; 1967, P.A. 691, S. 5; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 78; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 84-40, S. 1, 2; P.A.
93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: 1967 act replaced "owner of such system of water or ice supply" with "owner or operator of such water company
or system of ice supply"; 1971 act required that commissioner of environmental protection be notified of health department
findings; P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; P.A.
84-40 designated Subsec. (a) from the existing section and deleted provision requiring a hearing prior to issuance of an
order and added Subsec. (b) establishing procedures for the issuance of orders and the conduct of public hearings; P.A.
93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1,
1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner
and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
Cited. 201 C. 592.
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Sec. 25-35. Enforcement agents. The Department of Public Health may employ
agents and engineers to carry out the provisions of sections 25-32, 25-33 and 25-34, at
such expense as may be approved by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management.
(1949 Rev., S. 4018; P.A. 77-614, S. 19, 323, 610; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of finance and control with secretary of the office of policy and management
and, effective January 1, 1979, replaced department of health with department of health services; P.A. 93-381 replaced
department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257
replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of
Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-36. Orders of department; appeals; civil penalty. (a) Except as provided
otherwise in this part, any person or corporation aggrieved by any order of the Department of Public Health made under the provisions of this part, may appeal therefrom in
accordance with the provisions of section 4-183, except venue shall be in the judicial
district in which the source of the water or ice supply is located. If such source is located
in more than one judicial district, the appeal shall be taken to the court for that judicial
district containing the part of such source nearest the mouth of the stream or river forming
the main portion of the source of supply. If a water company is subject to such an order
and such water company takes an appeal in accordance with this subsection, the water
company shall provide notice of such appeal to the local director of health in the municipality or municipalities in which a violation occurred or that utilize such water, and such
local director of health shall have the right to be heard in such appeal. Each order of the
Department of Public Health issued under the foregoing provisions to any person or
corporation shall specify the time within which such person or corporation shall comply
with the terms thereof. If such person or corporation fails to comply with the terms of
such order and no appeal is taken therefrom, the state's attorney for the judicial district
of Hartford shall bring a complaint against such person or corporation to the superior
court for said judicial district.
(b) Except as provided otherwise in this part, upon the failure of any person or
corporation to comply with any order made under the provisions of this part, the Attorney
General, upon request of the Commissioner of Public Health, may bring an action in
the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford to obtain enforcement of the order
by the court. All actions brought by the Attorney General pursuant to the provisions of
this section shall have precedence in the order of trial as provided in section 52-191.
The court may issue such orders as are necessary to obtain compliance with the order
of the department and shall impose a civil penalty not exceeding five thousand dollars
per day commencing from the date compliance was ordered.
(1949 Rev., S. 4019; 1971, P.A. 870, S. 123; P.A. 74-183, S. 251, 291; P.A. 76-436, S. 215, 681; P.A. 77-603, S. 108,
125; 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 78-280, S. 1, 127; P.A. 84-285, S. 1, 4; P.A. 88-230, S. 1, 12; 88-364, S. 40, 123; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-220, S. 4-6; 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-329, S. 2, 31; P.A. 01-185, S. 4.)
History: 1971 act replaced superior court with court of common pleas, effective September 1, 1971, except that courts
with cases pending retain jurisdiction unless pending matters deemed transferable; P.A. 74-183 added references to judicial
districts; P.A. 76-436 replaced court of common pleas with superior court, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-603 replaced
previous requirement that appeals be filed within 30 days, with requirement that appeals be made in accordance with Sec.
4-183; P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-280 deleted references to counties; P.A. 84-285 deleted provision which had authorized court to hear appeals by itself or
by committee, to proceed as on complaints for equitable relief and to make such orders as it finds equitable and specified
that state's attorney for Hartford-New Britain judicial district shall bring complaint where noncompliance with order occurs
and no appeal is taken and added new provisions designated as Subsec. (b) authorizing the attorney general to bring an
action for compliance with an order and establishing a civil penalty for noncompliance with an order; P.A. 88-230 replaced
"judicial district of Hartford-New Britain" with "judicial district of Hartford", effective September 1, 1991; P.A. 88-364
made a technical change in Subsec. (a); P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to
September 1, 1993; P.A. 93-142 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996,
effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and
commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-220 changed the effective date of
P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner
and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective
July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-329 added "except as otherwise provided in this part" at the start of Subsecs. (a) and (b) and replaced
reference to Secs. 25-32, 25-33 and 25-34 with reference to "part III of this chapter", effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 01-185
amended Subsec. (a) to require a water company that is appealing an order to provide notice of such appeal to the local
director of health in the municipality or municipalities in which a violation occurred or that utilize such water and provide
such director the right to be heard in the appeal.
Subsec. (a):
Court does not have jurisdiction over appeal of order delineating exclusive public water supply system boundaries
within public water supply management area since hearing not required and therefore order not a contested case under
Sec. 4-183. 80 CA 248.
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Sec. 25-37. Penalties. Any individual, partnership, association, corporation, municipality, company or other entity violating any provision of sections 25-32 to 25-36,
inclusive, or any order, standard or regulation issued thereunder shall be fined not more
than five hundred dollars for each day such violation continues.
(1949 Rev., S. 4020; P.A. 77-580, S. 1, 2.)
History: P.A. 77-580 added "individual, partnership, association" and "municipality, company or other entity", extending applicability of provisions, replaced reference to Sec. 25-34 with reference to Sec. 25-36, deleted reference to
orders of health department and increased fine from $100 to $500 and specified that fine applies to each day violation
continues.
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Sec. 25-37a. Legislative finding and purpose. The General Assembly finds and
declares that an adequate supply of pure water is and will always be essential for the
health and safety and economic well-being of the state, that lands acquired for public
water supply purposes are and will in the future be necessary to protect the public water
supply notwithstanding the availability of water filtration plants; that some of such lands
have been acquired by water companies having the power of eminent domain, that such
lands are in imminent danger of being disposed of by water companies for residential
and commercial development, that such lands constitute a significant portion of the
remaining undeveloped and open space lands in close proximity to the urbanized areas
of the state, and that it is in the public interest that there be established criteria for the
orderly disposition of such lands. The General Assembly further finds and declares that
in order to protect the purity and adequacy of the water supply the Department of Public
Health should be directed to revise its procedure for the review of applications to sell
water company land located on public drinking water supply watersheds, that the disposition of such land prior to the revision of application review procedures would jeopardize the public health and welfare, and that therefore the prohibition against sale or
development of water company land located on the watershed should be extended for
a period of three years from June 26, 1977.
(P.A. 77-606, S. 1, 10; 77-614, S. 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 79-294, S. 1, 4; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39;
P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective
January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-294 extended prohibition against sale or development of water company land on watershed from
two to three years from June 26, 1977; P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health
and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and
Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
Cited. 3 CA 53.
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Sec. 25-37b. Definitions. As used in sections 25-32 and 25-37a to 25-37e, inclusive, "critical components of a stream belt" means (1) the watercourse of a defined
stream including banks, beds and water; (2) land subject to stream overflow; (3) associated wetlands, and (4) shorelines of lakes and ponds associated with the stream. "First-order stream" means a stream which directly enters a reservoir; "purity and adequacy
of public drinking water supply" means the quality and quantity of public drinking water
as determined by the Commissioner of Public Health under subsection (d) of section
25-32; "water company" means any water company as defined in section 25-32a, and
"commissioner" means the Commissioner of Public Health.
(P.A. 77-606, S. 2, 10; 77-614, S. 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 79-631, S. 103, 111; P.A. 88-357, S.
17; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced commissioner of health with commissioner of health services, effective
January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-631 replaced reference to abolished public health council with commissioner of health services;
P.A. 88-357 substituted reference to Sec. 25-37e for reference to Sec. 25-37g; P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of
health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced
Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public
Health, effective July 1, 1995.
Cited. 3 CA 53.
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Sec. 25-37c. Regulations. Classification of land owned by or acquired from a
water company. The Department of Public Health shall adopt, in accordance with
chapter 54, regulations establishing criteria and performance standards for three classes
of water-company-owned land.
(a) Class I land includes all land owned by a water company or acquired from a
water company through foreclosure or other involuntary transfer of ownership or control
which is either: (1) Within two hundred and fifty feet of high water of a reservoir or
one hundred feet of all watercourses as defined in agency regulations adopted pursuant
to this section; (2) within the areas along watercourses which are covered by any of the
critical components of a stream belt; (3) land with slopes fifteen per cent or greater
without significant interception by wetlands, swales and natural depressions between
the slopes and the watercourses; (4) within two hundred feet of groundwater wells; (5)
an identified direct recharge area or outcrop of aquifer now in use or available for future
use, or (6) an area with shallow depth to bedrock, twenty inches or less, or poorly drained
or very poorly drained soils as defined by the United States Soil Conservation Service
that are contiguous to land described in subdivision (3) or (4) of this subsection and that
extend to the top of the slope above the receiving watercourse.
(b) Class II land includes all land owned by a water company or acquired from a
water company through foreclosure or other involuntary transfer of ownership or control
which is either (1) on a public drinking supply watershed which is not included in class
I or (2) completely off a public drinking supply watershed and which is within one
hundred and fifty feet of a distribution reservoir or a first-order stream tributary to a
distribution reservoir.
(c) Class III land includes all land owned by a water company or acquired from a
water company through foreclosure or other involuntary transfer of ownership or control
which is unimproved land off public drinking supply watersheds and beyond one hundred and fifty feet from a distribution reservoir or first-order stream tributary to a distribution reservoir.
(P.A. 77-606, S. 3, 10; 77-614, S. 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 79-294, S. 2, 4; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39;
P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-329, S. 3, 31; P.A. 96-180, S. 93, 166.)
History: P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective
January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-294 referred to regulations issued under "this section" rather than under "section 19-13"; P.A.
93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1,
1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner
and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-329 applied provisions re land classification types to
land "acquired from a water company through foreclosure or other involuntary transfer of ownership or control", effective
July 1, 1995; P.A. 96-180 amended Subsec. (b) to clarify the definition of class II land, effective June 3, 1996.
Cited. 3 CA 53.
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Sec. 25-37d. Commissioner to adopt regulations re permit applications. Referral to consultant. Appointment of professional review team. Within two years
after June 26, 1977, the commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with chapter
54 for the review of permit applications. Such procedure shall include a standard application form, a public hearing and enforcement provisions. A permit application shall be
deemed complete if the commissioner does not request additional information within
forty-five days after the date on which the application was submitted or, in the event
that additional information has been requested, upon the submission of such information.
The commissioner may request further information after the application has been
deemed complete if the need for such information was not apparent within forty-five
days after submission of the application. If, in the judgment of the commissioner, the
proposed sale, lease, assignment or change in use of class II land may have a significant
adverse impact upon the applicant's water supply, said commissioner may, within thirty
days of his receipt of a complete permit application, refer such application for detailed
review to a consultant chosen by the commissioner, with skills in the fields of water
supply, hydrology, aquatic biology, forestry, geology, planning or other related fields.
The commissioner shall notify the applicant of such referral. The fee for such consultant
shall be paid by the applicant. If the commissioner does not refer the application to a
consultant pursuant to the provisions of this section, the commissioner shall refer such
application to a professional review team appointed by said commissioner, consisting
of a professional water supply engineer from the staff of the Department of Public Utility
Control; a professional from the staff of the Department of Environmental Protection
with expertise in one of the following areas: Water supply, hydrology, aquatic biology,
forestry, geology or other related fields; a professional planner recommended by the
chief executive officer of the town or towns in which the land proposed for disposition
is located; a professional planner from the staff of the Office of Policy and Management;
an appointee from the staff of the Department of Public Health and up to three other
experts in the public health field provided nothing in this section shall be construed to
prevent the commissioner from referring such application to both a consultant and a
professional review team. No appointee or consultant shall serve at the time of his
appointment in the employ of the applicant. Such team or consultant shall evaluate the
impact of the proposed sale, lease, assignment or change in use of land upon the purity
and adequacy of the water supply under the most severe climatic conditions and its
ability to meet current drinking water standards adopted by the Department of Public
Health.
(P.A. 77-606, S. 5, 10; 77-614, S. 19, 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 84-342, S. 7, 13; P.A. 90-292, S. 1;
P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-211, S. 2; 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced department of planning and energy policy with office of policy and
management and, effective January 1, 1979, replaced department of health with department of health services; P.A. 84-342 replaced public utilities control authority with department of public utility control; P.A. 90-292 added provisions
authorizing referral of application to a consultant requiring notification of such referral to the applicant, requiring the
payment of the fee by the applicant and clarifying that an application may be referred to both a consultant and a review
team; P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective
July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-211 required applications to be deemed complete if there is no request for more information within
45 days; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner
and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
Cited. 3 CA 53.
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Sec. 25-37e. Duties of commissioner re permit applications. Within sixty days
after the receipt of a complete permit application the Commissioner of Public Health
shall issue a written decision granting or denying the permit and setting forth the reasons
for his decision, provided, if the commissioner has utilized the services of a consultant
or a professional review team as provided for by section 25-37d, such consultant or
review team shall submit to said commissioner, within ninety days of his receipt of
such application, a written report of its findings, and said commissioner shall issue his
decision within one hundred and twenty days of his receipt of such application or within
one hundred sixty-five days of the initial submission of the application. The commissioner shall forward a copy of his decision to the applicant, the Department of Public
Utility Control, the Department of Environmental Protection and the chief executive
officer of the town in which the land is located. If no decision is issued within one
hundred twenty days after receipt of a complete application or within one hundred sixty-five days of the initial submission of the application, the applicant may submit a written
request to the commissioner to issue the permit. If the commissioner does not issue a
decision within forty-five days after the submission of such a request, the permit shall
be deemed to have been granted.
(P.A. 77-606, S. 6, 10; 77-614, S. 162, 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 80-482, S. 183, 348; P.A. 90-292,
S. 2; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-211, S. 3; 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced public utilities control authority with division of public utilities control
within the department of business regulation, and replaced commissioner of health with commissioner of health services,
effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-482 made division of public utility control an independent department and deleted
reference to abolished department of business regulation; P.A. 90-292 added references to a consultant; P.A. 93-381
replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1,
1993; P.A. 95-211 allowed the commissioner to issue a decision within 165 days of the initial submission of the application
and added that if no decision is issued the applicant may request a permit, which is deemed granted after 45 days if
there is no decision; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with
Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
Cited. 3 CA 53.
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Sec. 25-37f. Report to General Assembly. Section 25-37f is repealed, effective
October 1, 2002.
(P.A. 77-606, S. 7, 10; 77-614, S. 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12,
21, 58; P.A. 02-89, S. 90.)
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Sec. 25-37g. Prohibition of sale of certain water company owned land. No
water company land classified under section 25-37c as class II land shall be sold, leased
or assigned for a period of three years from June 26, 1977, or until the final adoption
of regulations by the Commissioner of Public Health as required in section 25-37d,
whichever occurs first.
(P.A. 77-606, S. 8, 10; 77-614, S. 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 79-294, S. 3, 4; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39;
P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced commissioner of health with commissioner of health services, effective
January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-294 extended sale or lease, etc. prohibition re class II land from two to three years from June 26,
1977; P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services,
effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with
Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
Cited. 3 CA 53.
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Sec. 25-37h. Notification of security interest required. Any water company
which mortgages or gives a security interest in class I or II land or any essential part of
its plant equipment or other property necessary or useful in the performance of its duty
to the public shall immediately notify the Commissioner of Public Health in writing
that such mortgage or security interest has been given and shall provide the commissioner with the name and address of the mortgagee or the holder of the security interest,
a description of the land, equipment or property affected, and any other information that
the commissioner may require. Any water company having land, equipment or property
subject to a mortgage or security interest on July 1, 1995, shall, by September 1, 1995,
notify the commissioner in writing of the name and address of the holder of that mortgage
or security interest and shall provide a description of the land, equipment or property
affected and any other information the commissioner may require.
(P.A. 95-329, S. 5, 31.)
History: P.A. 95-329, S. 5 effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-37i. Use of municipally-owned watershed land for construction and
operation of golf course. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, any municipality owning land purchased in January,
1999, that was formerly used for agricultural purposes and that is watershed land or
is located adjacent to watershed land may use such municipally-owned land for the
construction and operation of a golf course, subject to the following conditions: (1)
The golf course shall be owned by the municipality; (2) best management practices, as
recommended from time to time by the Department of Environmental Protection, shall
be used in the design, construction and operation of the golf course, including, but not
limited to, integrated pest management and above-ground storage of chemicals and
fuels; and (3) the manager of the golf course shall file an annual report with any water
company owned by the municipality, any water company drawing water from the watershed, the Department of Environmental Protection and the municipality describing the
best management practices used in the operation of the golf course, including, but not
limited to, a description of the kind and amount of pesticides and herbicides used on
the golf course during the year and such other information as may be requested by any
such water company or the Department of Environmental Protection. Such report shall
be made available to the public.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-4, S. 13, 58.)
History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-4 effective July 1, 2001.
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Sec. 25-38. Carcass of animal in water supply. Any person who puts or leaves
a dead animal or carcass in a pond, spring or reservoir, the water of which is conveyed
to any building, or who wilfully puts and leaves in any of the waters of this state a dead
animal, shall be fined not more than fifty dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days.
(1949 Rev., S. 4021.)
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Sec. 25-39. Pollution of drinking water. Any person who puts anything into a
well, spring, fountain, cistern or other place from which water is procured for drinking
or other purposes, with the intent to injure the quality of such water, shall be fined not
more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than six months.
(1949 Rev., S. 4022.)
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Sec. 25-39a. Monitoring of public water supplies for organic chemicals. Listing of harmful carcinogens. Reports re. Section 25-39a is repealed, effective October
1, 2008.
(P.A. 77-527, S. 1, 3; 77-614, S. 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 88-172, S. 4; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A.
95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 08-184, S. 63.)
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Sec. 25-39b. Installation of vinyl-lined pipe restricted. Report by commissioner. Section 25-39b is repealed, effective October 1, 2002.
(P.A. 80-359, S. 3, 4; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 02-89, S. 90.)
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Sec. 25-39c. Installation of asbestos cement pipe restricted. Determination by
commissioner re health hazard. On and after October 1, 1980, no person, firm, corporation or municipality may install any asbestos cement pipe in any water supply system
until the Commissioner of Public Health determines that the use of such pipe in water
supply systems does not create a public health hazard.
(P.A. 80-398, S. 2; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-39d. List of hazardous substances to be submitted to health director.
Any industrial or manufacturing firm or corporation, except a retail pharmacy, which
mixes or produces for commercial sale, any elements or compounds listed in 40 CFR
116 and designated as hazardous substances in accordance with section 311 of the federal
Water Pollution Control Act (33 USC 1251 et seq.) shall submit to the health director
appointed pursuant to chapter 368e, of the town, city or borough in which such elements
or compounds are mixed or produced, upon the request of such health director, a list of
all such elements or compounds mixed or produced during the previous year. Such list
shall be submitted within thirty days of the date of such request. Such list shall be open
for public inspection at the office of the health director. Nothing in this section shall be
construed to require disclosure of trade secrets as defined in subsection (b) of section
1-210.
(P.A. 80-464, S. 1, 2; P.A. 81-472, S. 56, 159.)
History: P.A. 81-472 made technical changes.
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Sec. 25-39e. Restriction on use of lead solder in potable water systems. Sale of
lead solder. (a) No solder containing more than 0.2 per cent lead shall be used in making
joints and fittings in any public or private potable water supply system or any water
user's pipelines.
(b) On and after December 31, 1986, no solder containing more than 0.2 per cent
lead shall be sold in Connecticut unless it contains a warning label which states in capital
letters:
"CONTAINS LEAD. CONNECTICUT LAW PROHIBITS THE USE OF THIS
SOLDER IN MAKING JOINTS AND FITTINGS IN ANY PUBLIC OR PRIVATE
POTABLE WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM OR ANY WATER USER'S PIPELINES."
(P.A. 86-192.)
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Sec. 25-40. Analysis of water. Schedule of fees, when applicable. Town, city
and borough directors of health shall, when in their judgment health may be menaced
or impaired through a water supply, send, subject to the approval of the Department of
Public Health, samples of such water to said department for examination and analysis.
Said department shall perform such examination and analysis without charge unless
such town, city or borough is to be reimbursed for the expense of any such examination
and analysis, and in such event a fee shall be charged in accordance with a schedule of
fees to be established by the Commissioner of Public Health, based upon nationally
recognized standards and performance measures for such examination and analysis.
Any person, firm or corporation which operates or maintains a laboratory in which any
determination, examination or analysis is made of any sample of water or sewage as a
basis for advice as to the sanitary quality of such water or sewage or as to any possible
danger to health involved, unless such laboratory has been approved specifically for
that purpose by the Department of Public Health, after meeting the requirements established by said department, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.
(1949 Rev., S. 4023; P.A. 76-396, S. 2, 3; P.A. 77-614, S. 19, 323, 610; P.A. 88-1, S. 7, 13; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A.
95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 03-252, S. 16.)
History: P.A. 76-396 replaced provision which had required that expenses of examinations and analyses be paid from
funds appropriated to department of health with new provision allowing charge for examinations and analyses in certain
circumstances; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of finance and control with secretary of the office of policy and management and, effective January 1, 1979, replaced department and commissioner of health with department and commissioner
of health services; P.A. 88-1 eliminated involvement of secretary of the office of policy and management in establishment
of fee schedule for examination and analysis of water samples; P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of
health services with department and commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A.
95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 03-252 changed basis of fee schedule from direct relation to operating
costs to nationally recognized standards and performance measures.
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Sec. 25-40a. Notification of violation of national primary drinking water standards. Not later than five business days after receiving notice that a public water system
is in violation of the federal Environmental Protection Agency national primary drinking
water standards, the Commissioner of Public Health shall give written or electronic
notification of such violation to the chief elected official of the municipality where such
public water system is located and of any municipality that is served by such public
water system.
(P.A. 09-30, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 09-30 effective May 20, 2009.
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Sec. 25-41. Cemetery not to be within one-half mile of reservoir. No cemetery
or place of sepulture shall be located or established within one-half mile of any reservoir
from which the inhabitants of a town, city or borough are supplied with water, nor shall
such reservoir be located or established within one-half mile of a cemetery or place of
sepulture unless the superior court for the judicial district wherein such cemetery or
place of sepulture or reservoir is located, upon application and notice, finds that such
cemetery or place of sepulture or such reservoir so proposed to be located is of public
convenience and necessity and will not be detrimental to the public health.
(1949 Rev., S. 4025; P.A. 78-280, S. 2, 127.)
History: P.A. 78-280 replaced "county" with "judicial district".
Owner of land may use it as a private cemetery aside from question of public health. 58 C. 94.
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Sec. 25-42. Power to take lands and streams. Any town, city, borough or corporation authorized by law to supply the inhabitants of any town, city or borough with pure
water for public or domestic use may take and use such lands, springs, streams or ponds,
or such rights or interests therein, as the Superior Court, or any judge thereof in vacation,
on application, deems necessary for the purposes of such supply. The court shall approve
or disapprove such taking and use after review of the applicant's analysis of future water
supply demands and a determination that alternative means of supplying pure water,
including, but not limited to, interconnections to other existing supply systems or a
program of demand management, are not reasonably available or feasible to meet such
demands provided, if any land proposed for taking is currently being used for agriculture,
the court shall consider whether the taking and loss of such agricultural land is offset
by the public's need for an adequate supply of pure water. For the purpose of preserving
the purity of such water and preventing any contamination thereof, such town, city,
borough or corporation may take such lands or rights as the Superior Court, or any judge
thereof in vacation, on application, deems necessary therefor. In any case in which the
law requires compensation to be made to any person whose rights, interests or property
may be injuriously affected by such orders, said court or such judge shall appoint a
committee of three disinterested property owners of the judicial district, who shall determine and award the amount to be paid by such authorities before such order is carried
into effect.
(1949 Rev., S. 4028; P.A. 78-280, S. 2, 127; P.A. 97-117.)
History: P.A. 78-280 replaced "county" with "judicial district"; P.A. 97-117 added procedures and determinations
necessary for condemnation proceedings under this section.
Effect on city charters. 86 C. 165; Id., 364. This remedy is alternative to that provided by Sec. 4027. 90 C. 177. See
notes to Secs. 25-51 to 25-53. This statute is an enabling act and its provisions are neither mandatory nor exclusive. 124
C. 441.
Section is an enabling act whose provisions are neither mandatory nor exclusive. 5 CS 251. Injunction granted against
water company though it did not file an application under this section. 6 CS 388.
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Sec. 25-43. Bathing in and pollution of reservoirs. Aircraft on reservoirs. Penalties. (a) Any person who bathes or swims in any reservoir from which the inhabitants
of any town, city or borough are supplied with water, or in any lake, pond or stream
tributary to any distribution reservoir, or in any part of any lake, pond or stream tributary
to any storage reservoir, which part is distant less than two miles measured along the
flow of water from any part of such storage reservoir, and any person who causes or
allows any pollutant or harmful substance to enter any such public water supply reservoir, whether distribution or storage, or any of its tributaries, or commits any nuisance
in any public water supply reservoir or its watershed, shall be fined not more than five
hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both. For the purposes of
this section, "storage reservoir" means an artificial impoundment of substantial amounts
of water, used or designed for the storage of a public water supply and the release thereof
to a distribution reservoir, and "distribution reservoir" means a reservoir from which
water is directly released into pipes or pipelines leading to treatment or purification
facilities or connected directly with distribution mains of a public water system.
(b) No person, after having received notice or after notice has been posted that
any reservoir, lake or pond, or any stream tributary thereto, is used for supplying the
inhabitants of a town, city or borough with water, shall wash any animal or clothing or
other article or allow any animal to enter therein. No person shall cause or allow any
pollutant or harmful substance to enter such reservoir, lake, pond or stream, nor shall
any person, after receipt of written notice from the municipality, water company, as
defined in section 25-32a, or the local director of health having jurisdiction, or their
agents, that the same is detrimental to such water supply, permit any such substance to
be placed upon land owned, occupied or controlled by such person, so that the same
may be carried by rains or freshets or otherwise flow into the water of such reservoir,
lake, pond or stream, or allow to be drained any sewage from such land into such water.
Any person who violates any provision of this subsection shall be fined not more than
five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.
(c) No person shall cause or permit an aircraft, as defined in subdivision (5) of
section 15-34, to land upon, take off from or be operated, kept, parked, garaged, stored
or otherwise maintained on any distribution or storage reservoir or on any watercourse
tributary to any such reservoir. Any person who violates a provision of this subsection
shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty
days, or both. Any water company, as defined in section 25-32a, aggrieved by a violation
of this section may institute a civil action in the superior court for the judicial district
where such reservoir or watercourse tributary is located, either entirely or in part, to
recover all damages, expenses and costs incurred by the water company in responding
to the violation and the remediation and abatement of any contamination resulting from
the violation.
(1949 Rev., S. 4029; 1959, P.A. 632, S. 1; P.A. 90-292, S. 4; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2, S. 64; P.A. 08-137, S. 6.)
History: 1959 act imposed penalty for swimming as well as bathing, and added provisions re distribution reservoirs in
Subsec. (a); P.A. 90-292 added Subsec. (c) re use of aircraft on reservoirs; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2 replaced reference to
filthy or impure substances with pollutant or harmful substance, changed the penalty from a fine of not more than $100
and not more than six months' imprisonment to a fine of not less than $100 and not more than 30 days' imprisonment,
divided definition of storage reservoir into definitions of "storage reservoir" and "distribution reservoir", amended Subsec.
(b) by adding "after having received notice or", adding "or allow any animal to enter", replacing reference to filthy or
impure substances with pollutant or harmful substance, adding reference to municipalities and water companies, replacing
director with "local" director and allowing notice from agents; P.A. 08-137 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) by substituting
not "more than five" for not "less than one" hundred dollars re fines for violations and amended Subsec. (c) by adding fine
of not more than $500 or imprisonment of not more than 30 days, or both, for a violation and by specifying that aggrieved
water company may institute a civil action to recover all damages incurred resulting from violation.
Cited. 100 C. 464. Cited. 111 C. 362. Is a valid exercise of police power even though it would deprive one of property
right as riparian owner. 123 C. 492.
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Sec. 25-43a. Penalties applicable to one not owner, lessee or guest. The penalties
of subsection (a) of section 25-43 shall also apply to any person who bathes or swims
in any lake, pond or stream tributary to any public water supply reservoir who is not
the owner or lessee of real property adjoining such tributary or the guest or invitee of
such owner or lessee on a nonprofit basis.
(1959, P.A. 632, S. 2.)
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Sec. 25-43b. Power of Department of Public Health not affected. Nothing in
subsection (a) of section 25-43 or in section 25-43a shall be construed as limiting the
powers of the Department of Public Health under this chapter.
(1959, P.A. 632, S. 3; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; P.A.
93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1,
1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner
and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Sec. 25-43c. Permitted recreation in watersheds and reservoirs. (a) Sport fishing from designated locations on shoreline or from boats propelled by oars or by electric
motors with sealed storage batteries on public water supply storage and distribution
reservoirs, as defined in subsection (a) of section 25-43, or aquifer protection areas as
mapped pursuant to section 22a-354c, and additional recreational activities subject to
the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, within designated areas of the watersheds
of such reservoirs or aquifer protection areas may be permitted by a water company, as
defined in section 25-32a, in accordance with rules made by such water company after
consultation with the Commissioner of Public Health and the Department of Environmental Protection.
(b) The Commissioner of Public Health, upon application by a water company,
may issue to such company a permit authorizing recreational activities on storage and
distribution reservoirs or aquifer protection areas. Any person who engages in any recreational activity which involves the use of a boat on reservoirs which are wholly owned
by a water company shall use boats owned by said water company. If, in the opinion of
the commissioner, the proposed recreational activities may have a significant adverse
impact upon the applicant's water supply, said commissioner may, within thirty days
of receipt of a complete permit application, refer such application for detailed review
to a consultant, chosen by the commissioner, with skills in the fields of water supply,
hydrology, aquatic biology, forestry, geology, planning or other related fields, whose
fee shall be paid by the applicant. The commissioner shall notify the applicant of such
referral. The permit shall be issued subject to any terms or conditions the commissioner
deems necessary to maintain the purity of the water in such storage and distribution
reservoirs or aquifer protection areas. The commissioner may approve the use of electric
motors with sealed storage batteries in a storage or distribution reservoir with an existing
approved fishing program, provided such reservoir has conventional filtration treatment
and is adequately supervised at all times when electric motors are in use, subject to
monitoring, inspection and reporting by the water company satisfactory to the commissioner. The commissioner may adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of
chapter 54 establishing criteria for such recreational activities on storage and distribution
reservoirs or aquifer protection areas and for monitoring the water quality thereof. The
Commissioner of Public Health shall prohibit fishing and recreational activities in those
cases where treatment facilities are deemed inadequate by the commissioner to properly
safeguard the health of persons drinking the water.
(c) Water companies are empowered, after consultation with the Department of
Environmental Protection, to issue permits and to charge fees for the issuance of such
permits in order to reimburse such companies for the cost to them of such fishing and
other recreational activities in public water supply storage and distribution reservoirs
and on the watersheds of such public water supply storage and distribution reservoirs
or within aquifer protection areas.
(d) All public water supply reservoirs constructed on or after January 1, 1975, except
for such reservoirs as may be under construction before January 1, 1975, shall have
such water treatment or purification facilities as the Commissioner of Public Health
determines are necessary to assure the purity of the water supplies from sources in such
reservoirs in which sport fishing is permitted or in watersheds of such reservoirs in
which such recreational activities are permitted as provided in this section, provided
nothing in this section shall be deemed to permit any recreational use of an existing
reservoir or of the watershed land of such reservoir which use would require the installation of new water treatment or purification facilities.
(e) No water company shall be liable in damages except with respect to wilful or
wanton conduct for injury or property damage to any person who enters upon its lands
or waters under the provisions of this section.
(P.A. 73-522, S. 1-4; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 84-28; 84-546, S. 140, 173; P.A.
90-292, S. 3; P.A. 91-287, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2, S. 66.)
History: P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced commissioner of health with commissioner of health services, effective
January 1, 1979; P.A. 84-28 applied provisions of section to distribution reservoirs as well as storage reservoirs, added
provisions re permits for recreational activities on reservoirs and created Subsecs. (a), (b) and (c) from previous Subsecs.
(a) and (b); P.A. 84-546 made technical changes, relettering former Subsecs. (c) and (d) as (d) and (e) in keeping with P.A.
84-28; P.A. 90-292 amended Subsec. (b) to allow the commissioner to refer an application to a consultant within 30 days
of receipt, require the applicant to pay the fee and to require notification to the applicant of such referral; P.A. 91-287
amended Subsec. (a) to include boats powered by electric motors with sealed storage batteries and amended Subsec. (b)
to include certain restrictions on the use of boats with electric motors; P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services
with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner
and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective
July 1, 1995; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2 added references to aquifer protection areas.
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Sec. 25-44. Appointment of special police. The Governor, upon the application
of any town, city or borough or of any subdivision thereof, or of any company, owning
or controlling any system of waterworks or water supply, may commission, during his
pleasure, one or more persons, who, having been sworn, may act as policemen for the
purpose of preventing and abating nuisances and protecting such water supply from
contamination. Such policemen shall arrest, without previous complaint and warrant,
any person for an offense under the provisions of any law for the protection of water
supplies, when the offender is taken or apprehended in the act or on speedy information
of others; and all persons so arrested shall be immediately presented before competent
authority. Each such policeman shall, when on duty, wear in plain view a shield bearing
the words "Special Police" and the name of the town, city, borough or company for
which he is commissioned.
(1949 Rev., S. 4030.)
See Sec. 29-19 re special policemen for utility and transportation companies.
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Sec. 25-45. Local ordinances concerning reservoirs. The legislative body of any
city or borough may make, alter and repeal ordinances to regulate or prevent fishing,
trespassing or any nuisance in or upon any property of such city or borough or of any
subdivision thereof. Such ordinances may provide for the imposition of a fine not exceeding fifty dollars or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both, for any
violation thereof. The common council of any city or the warden and burgesses of any
borough may appoint special constables to protect reservoir property and to execute any
such ordinance and any provision of the statutes relating to protection of water supply,
and for that purpose such constables shall have all the powers of constables of towns.
(1949 Rev., S. 4031.)
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Sec. 25-46. Interstate waters used for drinking water supply. For the purpose
of protecting the purity of interstate waters used or intended for use by any municipality,
public institution or water company of this or of any adjoining state or states as sources
of drinking water supply, and with a view to reciprocal action by adjoining states for
the benefit of this state, the Department of Public Health is authorized, at the request
of the Department of Public Health, or the official body having similar powers and
duties, of an adjoining state, to provide in the Public Health Code regulations for the
protection of the purity of the waters of any lakes, ponds, streams and reservoirs, within
any specified drainage area in this state, tributary to any such drinking water supply of
an adjoining state.
(1949 Rev., S. 4032; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; P.A.
93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1,
1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner
and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
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Secs. 25-47 to 25-50. Ice: Pollution of source, notices, exception; control of
sources of supply, notices. Ice from outside this state; examination. Penalties. Sections 25-47 to 25-50, inclusive, are repealed, effective October 1, 2002.
(1949 Rev., S. 4011-4014; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 02-89, S.
90; S.A. 02-12, S. 1.)
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Sec. 25-51. Injunction against injury to water supply or source. Whenever any
land or building is used, occupied or allowed to remain in a condition such that it is or
could be a source of pollution to any public water supply reservoir or associated watershed, including, but not limited to, any watercourse, wetland or drainage system from
which water flows to a public water supply reservoir or any public water supply well
or associated aquifer protection area, as defined in section 22a-354h, the municipality
or water company, as defined in section 25-32a, having charge of such reservoir or well,
or the local director of health or the local director's agents, may apply for relief to the
superior court for the judicial district wherein such reservoir, watershed, well or aquifer
protection area is located, and said court may make any order in the premises, temporary
or permanent, which, in its judgment, may be necessary to preserve the purity of such
water. The municipality or water company, by its officers or agents duly appointed, or
the local director of health, or the local director's agents may, at all reasonable times,
enter upon and inspect any premises within the watershed tributary to, or aquifer protection area of, such water supply and, if any nuisance likely to pollute such water is found
therein, the local director of health or the local director's agent may abate such nuisance
after reasonable notice to the owners or occupants of such premises and their refusal or
neglect to abate the same, and the municipality or water company shall be liable for all
unnecessary or unreasonable damage done to such premises.
(1949 Rev., S. 4026; P.A. 78-280, S. 1, 127; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2, S. 65.)
History: P.A. 78-280 replaced "county" with "judicial district"; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2 substantially rewrote the
section, deleting references to ice, adding references to aquifer protection areas, local directors or their agents and made
technical changes.
Cited. 111 C. 362. Damages for pollution of ice supply. 114 C. 496. Under these statutes owner's use and title may be
divested. 123 C. 503.
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Sec. 25-52. Cemeteries not to be near ice ponds. Section 25-52 is repealed, effective October 1, 2002.
(1949 Rev., S. 4711; 1961, P.A. 517, S. 24; P.A. 78-280, S. 2, 127; S.A. 02-12, S. 1.)
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Sec. 25-53. Abatement of nuisance. Whenever any order is made by the Superior
Court for the abatement of any nuisance to such water or ice, and said court finds that
compliance with such order will damage any person or corporation or deprive him or
it of any substantial right, said court may assess just damages in favor of such person or
corporation, to be paid by such municipality, person or corporation as the court decrees.
(1949 Rev., S. 4027.)
Damages where pleasure resort on shore of lake used as water supply is enjoined. 90 C. 171. Remedy alternative to
that provided by Sec. 25-42. 90 C. 177. These statutes do not evidence a legislative policy to provide compensation in all
cases. 123 C. 504.
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Sec. 25-54. Sale of ice regulated. Section 25-54 is repealed, effective October
1, 2002.
(1949 Rev., S. 4024; P.A. 02-89, S. 90.)
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