5 Point Plan to Protect Our Water Security
TO PROTECT OUR WATER RESOURCES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS and DURING DROUGHTS,
WE ASK YOU TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION TO:
1. Prioritize residential and essential water use in a drought. When residents and municipalities are asked to conserve water during a severe drought, require water bottling companies to reduce their use of public waters to a similar degree, except to the extent required for a public health emergency.
2. Protect state and county water resources in a severe drought. Water bottled from a county declared to be in severe drought should remain in that county. Likewise, if most of the state is in a severe drought, a moratorium should be placed on the out-of-state export of water bottled from Connecticut’s waters.
3. Require a renewable permit for new large-scale water bottling in CT. In this era of climate change, ensure Connecticut has enough water for its residents, agriculture, environment, business and industry before allowing further acquisition of large volumes of water for bottled water production.
4. Prohibit special discounted water rates for water bottlers. Declining block rates incentivize over-use of our state water resources by high-volume users instead of encouraging water conservation for a limited public resource. They support the transport of our CT water to out-of-state watersheds and the production of environmentally harmful plastic bottles.
5. Prohibit discounted rates on Clean Water Project Charges. These charges were established following a 2006 consent decree between the MDC (Metropolitan District Commission), the State of Connecticut and the EPA to ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act. They fund infrastructure necessary to separate storm and wastewater and prevent sanitary sewer overflows. Residents of MDC towns have paid this charge for years to help protect the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound. Corporations profiting from Connecticut water should contribute equally to its infrastructure costs.
WE ASK YOU TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION TO:
1. Prioritize residential and essential water use in a drought. When residents and municipalities are asked to conserve water during a severe drought, require water bottling companies to reduce their use of public waters to a similar degree, except to the extent required for a public health emergency.
2. Protect state and county water resources in a severe drought. Water bottled from a county declared to be in severe drought should remain in that county. Likewise, if most of the state is in a severe drought, a moratorium should be placed on the out-of-state export of water bottled from Connecticut’s waters.
3. Require a renewable permit for new large-scale water bottling in CT. In this era of climate change, ensure Connecticut has enough water for its residents, agriculture, environment, business and industry before allowing further acquisition of large volumes of water for bottled water production.
4. Prohibit special discounted water rates for water bottlers. Declining block rates incentivize over-use of our state water resources by high-volume users instead of encouraging water conservation for a limited public resource. They support the transport of our CT water to out-of-state watersheds and the production of environmentally harmful plastic bottles.
5. Prohibit discounted rates on Clean Water Project Charges. These charges were established following a 2006 consent decree between the MDC (Metropolitan District Commission), the State of Connecticut and the EPA to ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act. They fund infrastructure necessary to separate storm and wastewater and prevent sanitary sewer overflows. Residents of MDC towns have paid this charge for years to help protect the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound. Corporations profiting from Connecticut water should contribute equally to its infrastructure costs.
SAVE OUR WATER CT
Water as a Public Trust
www.saveourwaterct.org
info@saveourwaterct.org
phone: 860-810-5096
Water as a Public Trust
www.saveourwaterct.org
info@saveourwaterct.org
phone: 860-810-5096
