Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Press Releases

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07/09/2024

DEEP Announces FY 2024/25 Clean Water Fund Priority List to Enhance Water Quality and Infrastructure Resilience

State Invests in $500 Million of Municipal Water Pollution Control Projects, with 94% Benefiting Environmental Justice Communities

(HARTFORD) - Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes has announced the FY 2024/25 Clean Water Fund Priority list. With this announcement, the State of Connecticut is continuing its strong investment in construction-ready municipal water pollution control projects that will protect the state’s waters from sewage pollution and help improve water quality.

The Clean Water Fund Priority List is the state’s roadmap for improving wastewater infrastructure in Connecticut. The municipal construction projects laid out in the Priority List are funded through low-interest loans and grants made possible by state and federal funds. Since 1987, the Clean Water Fund has eased the financial burden on municipalities to comply with state and federal clean water laws by providing grants and low-interest loans. The Clean Water Fund is administered by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, with its revolving fund managed by the Office of the Treasurer, and with oversight by the US Environmental Protection Agency. 

Last summer, municipalities submitted requests to the Department for wastewater needs totaling $2.4 billion over the next several years. Based on available funding and construction readiness, the new Clean Water Fund Priority List identifies approximately $500 million in fundable construction projects.  Ninety-four percent (94%) of the fundable construction projects are located in Environmental Justice Communities.  

“As climate change causes more extreme rain events, the State’s sewer pipes are struggling to contain the excess water. This often causes untreated sewage to overflow into our rivers and the streets and buildings, especially in our most densely populated urban communities,” Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes said.  “The projects on the Priority List will reduce the frequency and severity of sewage overflows and provide more enhanced treatment of excess nutrients that will improve the water quality of our rivers and the Long Island Sound.”  

In addition to the construction-ready projects, additional funding has been set aside in reserves to incentivize projects that incorporate green infrastructure and energy efficiency measures, or that increase the resilience of Connecticut’s 93 wastewater treatment plants and associated infrastructure.  

Fundable construction projects on this Priority List include:

  • Hartford: several sewer separation and rehabilitation projects throughout Hartford’s North End will reduce sewage overflows to the Park River and continue the implementation of the pilot project to prevent residential sewer flooding.
  • New Haven: a $50 million upgrade of the East Street pump station in New Haven will reduce sewage overflows to the West River.
  • Bridgeport: initiate Phase 1 of a $500 million comprehensive rehabilitation of the West Side treatment plant that will reduce sewage flooding and overflows and improve the treatment of discharges to Cedar Creek and Long Island Sound. Of note, funding will also be used to decrease air emissions through the replacement of outdated equipment, relocate tanks farther away from adjacent housing, and construct a secure barrier wall around the plant to further protect neighbors, all of which incorporates the design feedback provided by the adjacent PT Barnum Community.
  • Norwich: continue the $200 million modernization of the Norwich treatment plant that is being subsidized with federal BIL funding and will reduce sewage overflows to the Yantic, Shetucket, and Thames Rivers.

State and federal laws require each Clean Water Fund project in Connecticut to: 

  • Conduct an open and competitive bid process by prequalified contractors certified by the Department of Administrative Services to work on sewers or wastewater treatment plants
  • Comply with federal Davis/Bacon labor requirements
  • Employ the use of Minority and Women-Owned Businesses; and 
  • Prioritize the use of iron and steel products manufactured in the United States. 
Any municipalities interested in learning more about available reserve funding should visit the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Clean Water Fund Financial Assistance webpage for details and applications. For further information, contact syed.bokhari@ct.gov.
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Contact

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DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110