An Important Hearing For United Water Customers

To the Editor:

I would like to alert the public to two important matters regarding Newtown’s aquifer, the Pootatuck, United Water, and the Brookfield expansion project. United Water is lobbying for Newtown users to pay for a portion of the $4 million waterline expansion to Brookfield.

First, there will be an important public hearing on the matter before the State Department Public Utility Commission (DPUC), which will decide the issue. That meeting is Thursday, July 29, at the Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street. The working presentation will be from 10 am to 4 pm, then public participation will begin at 6 pm.

All Newtowners are strongly encouraged to attend and speak their minds. If you cannot make the 6 pm public participation portion of the meeting, you may attend the morning and afternoon session and more than likely, the commission will allow you to express your opinion at that time.

Second, Newtown United Water users recently received a notice of surcharge rate hikes for capital improvements. These surcharge costs have nothing to do with the Brookfield waterline expansion, though timed as if to appear so. Any additional surcharges for the Brookfield waterline expansion will be in addition to the recently noticed increases. I have asked United Water to clarify this; however, to date they have refused to do so.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jim Gaston

Warden, Borough of Newtown

18 Main Street, Newtown                                                 July 20, 2010