Connecticut Water Reaches Milestone in Water System Infrastructure Renewal
One Million Feet of Water Main Replaced since 2008
CLINTON, Conn. — Jan. 8, 2024 — In 2023 Connecticut Water marked a milestone when it replaced its one millionth foot of aging, undersized or unreliable water main since 2008.
“Water mains are the backbone of water systems,” stated Connecticut Water Vice President of Engineering David Peeling, P.E. He added, “Water main investment is critical to our mission of delivering reliable service and high-quality to customers and communities — sometimes over many miles. Mains also provide the water supply to fire hydrants and are an important part of firefighting.”
Connecticut Water customers are served through a network of mains that stretches nearly 1,850 miles, and one million feet is approximately 190 miles—a little more than 10% of the company’s water mains. Peeling said, “Our goal is to replace about 1% of our water main each year to enhance reliability of service and water quality. The cost to replace one-foot of water main is approximately $350.”
In 2023, Connecticut Water worked more than 50 water main projects across it 60 service communities. Virtually all of the water main replacement work done since 2008 has been through the Water Infrastructure and Conservation Adjustment, or WICA.
WICA allows water utilities regulated by the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA) to recover the cost of completed water main replacements, once they are in service and providing a benefit to customers, through a modest surcharge on customer bills. The timely recovery of costs allows for continued investment in water main replacement.
Peeling said there are also environmental benefits, “Older pipes are more likely to have small, unnoticed leaks that waste treated drinking water and the power used to pump that water.”
More information on Connecticut Water’s water main replacement program is available at: ctwater.com/community-commitment/current-projects/.