1. Changing Water laws and policies
Water Supply in Western Connecticut Conference
Peter B. Galant, P.E. – Tighe & Bond
Margaret Miner – Rivers Alliance CT

2. Creating new water systems The State Water Plan
Agenda
What’s a WUCC?
Water Utility Coordinating Committees
Creating new water systems
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN)
The State Water Plan
What is it and what’s next?
Incentivizing conservation
The Revenue Adjustment Mechanism for private water companies
Drought planning
Public water supply droughts vs. State declared droughts

3. Water utility coordinating committees
Maximize efficient and effective development of the State’s water supply systems and promote public health, safety and welfare.
Established in 1985
Reinvigorated 2016
Three Water Supply Management Areas
WUCC Members
Public Water Companies
Councils of Government

4. Coordinated water system plan
WUCC Deliverables
Water Supply Assessment
Exclusive Service Areas (ESAs)
Integrated Report
Executive Summary
Individual Water Supply Plans

5. Water supply assessment
Introduction
Existing Systems
Water quality and source protection
System reliability
Service and supply adequacy
Firefighting
Major facilities
Future Water Supply Sources
Existing Service Areas
Population and Growth
Status of Planning
Issues, Needs and Deficiencies

6. Exclusive service areas (Esas)
An area where public water is supplied by one system
Factors to Consider
Existing water service area
Land use plans, zoning regulations and growth trends
Physical limitations to water service
Political boundaries
Water company rights
System hydraulics
Ability to provide service
Don’t leave un-serviced islands unless there is no current or future need for public water service

7. Exclusive service areas - CT

8. Exclusive service areas - town
Oxford
Roxbury

9. Context and coordination of planning
Integrated report
Context and coordination of planning
Water conservation
Impacts of policies and regulations
Climate change and resiliency
Demand and available water projections
Satellite management and small systems
Interconnections
Joint use of facilities
Potential future water supplies
Impact on other uses of water resources
Minimum design standards
Relationship with other planning documents
Financial considerations
Recommendations

10. Wucc schedule

11. Creating a new water system
Public Water System
≥15 customers or 25 people at least 60 days per year
Community
25 residents throughout the year
Non-Community
Non-Transient
The same people more than 6 months per year
Transient

12. Certificate of public convenience and necessity
Community
Main extension not feasible
ESA holder shall own & operate
WUCC approval not required
Constructed to DPH and ESA holder standards
Non-Community
Main extension not feasible
ESA holder may own & operate
Developer may own until service available from ESA holder
DPH approval
WUCC recommendation
Constructed to DPH and ESA holder standards

13. The state water plan – PA 14-163
Balance the use of water to meet all needs
Source: Water Planning Council

14. Water Planning Council
The state water plan
Water Planning Council
Department of Public Health
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Public Utilities Regulatory Authority
Office of Policy and Management
Multi-stakeholder process
Steering Committee
Science and Technical Committee
Policy Committee
Guidance not Mandates

15. State water plan top 10
Source: Water Planning Council

16. State water plan status
Submitted to Legislature: January 2018
Acted on by Legislature: ?
If not acted on by 2020 goes to Governor
Next Steps: TBD

17. Incentivizing conservation
Revenue Decoupling
Only available to private water companies
PURA sets required revenue
If actual revenue is > required – customer credit
If actual revenue is < requireded – customer surcharge
Result: Revenue is independent of water sales
Municipal and Water Company Roles
Conservation vs Drought Planning

18. Drought planning Water Supply Plans State Drought Plan
Water systems >1,000 people or 250 customers
Four drought stages
Advisory
Watch
Warning
Emergency
Updated every 6 – 9 years
State Drought Plan
Beyond public water supply droughts
Five drought stages
Heightened awareness
Below normal
Moderate drought
Severe drought
Extreme drought

19. More from Margaret?

20. Questions/discussion
WUCCs
CPCNs
State Water Plan
Conservation
Drought