The Legislative Council recently approved the receipt of a $514,119 grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to restore the stream bed of the Pootatuck River near the Aquarion wellfield.

The grant has a 25% local match that will be split between Newtown, Brookfield, Aquarion, and Housatonic Railroad Company. Newtown’s part is $32,132. Town Finance Director Glenys Salas said that Newtown’s part would be paid through leftover FEMA funds from the 2024 storm.

“This is great, thank you,” Councilman Michelle Embree Ku said January 21, when the grant was formally accepted.

The grant will fund a plan to clean up the Pootatuck River following a culvert collapse that occurred during flooding in August 2024.

The culvert collapse blocked access to a wellfield owned by Aquarion Water Company, which has caused Aquarion to place bans on outdoor water use, even after the town made available additional water from the Fairfield Hills campus.

The cleanup has been delayed over 15 months while various parties, including the Town of Newtown, Aquarion, Housatonic Railroad Company, and National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) negotiated an agreement.

First Selectman Bruce Walczak said the most recent holdup was waiting for Housatonic Railroad to sign an agreement allowing the town and other parties on the property to do the cleanup. However, the delay has not actually slowed work, which is set to begin in the spring.

Selectman Lily Mac Hugh asked what would happen if the cost of the project goes up between now and the spring, and was told that any additional costs would be “at the sponsor’s expense,” which is Newtown.

Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.