The Tighe & Bond presentation given on 4-27-21 highlighted two areas of focus for public water extension – Chestnut Hill Road, (serviced by MDC), and Minnechaug Mountain Area (serviced by Manchester Water). Click here to view the Glastonbury public water extension 4-27-21V2 document. Specifically, see circled areas/streets on page 4.

Timeline

March 8, 2022 – Council Meeting - Community members from Chestnut Hill road expressed that they did NOT want the Town Manager to proceed with submission of an eligibility application to the Connecticut Department of Public Health for funding consideration for extension of public water to their neighborhood. No community members spoke in support of the funding request. Accordingly, the Town Council motion to submit the eligibility application for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund was denied. (motion failed)

April 7 – Public Meeting – An informational meeting was held in response to community interest from Minnechaug Mountain residents regarding their desire to identify a strategy for the extension of public water to address the elevated uranium levels in well water (serviced by the Manchester Water Department). A panel of the Town Manager, Richard Johnson, Glastonbury Director of Health, Wendy Mis, and Patrick Kearney, Administrator of the Manchester Water Department, were available for questions at the meeting held at the Riverfront Community Center. Through this forum, the Town Manager provided an explanation of the difference in operating models between The Metropolitan District (MDC) and Manchester Water Department, and the impact these differences made to potential state and federal funding opportunities. He explained that the residents of Chestnut Hill Road elected NOT to proceed with the public water extension project at the March 8^th public meeting, (requesting consideration for funding through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund), therefore documentation has not been forwarded to the state for consideration for that area of town.

In the Minnechaug Mountain (MM) area, the Manchester Water Department funds operations through taxes levied on Manchester residents and user fees from those connected to the public water system.  Funding through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund is not an option for Glastonbury residents connected to Manchester Water. MM residents wishing to extend public water would need to create a community group and share the associated project costs to extend public water service to their area. This approach would be contingent on whether or not enough MM residents are willing to participate to help offset costs to all.

The feedback of MM residents was mixed at this meeting, with some interested in pursuing the project and others opposed to incurring the added expense. Town Council member Mary LaChance, a MM resident, was present at the meeting and offered to act as a neighborhood point of contact and keep neighbors informed.    

FAQs

How often does Manchester Water Department test its water for substances such as uranium, etc.?

The Manchester Water Department produces an annual report on the drinking water supplied to its customers. The report explains where your water comes from, what tests were performed to ensure the safety of your water and where you can get more information about your water supply. Please click here to view the 2021 (most recent) Water Quality Report.

How many wells in the Minnechaug Mountain area have been identified with elevated uranium levels as part of recent efforts?

The EPA drinking water standard for uranium in drinking water is 30 ug/l. According to the latest data available for the Minnechaug Mountain area, (April 7, 2022), 46 wells have been identified with uranium levels less than or equal to 30 ug/l; 43 wells with uranium levels of 30.1 – 900 ug/l and 2 wells with uranium levels of greater than 900 ug/l. Preliminary project design by Tighe and Bond identified 242 MM properties that could potentially be included in the water main extension project. Please see the Minnechaug Mountain Map here for more detailed information on this area. Please note, these figures represent only those wells that were tested by the homeowner and reported to the Glastonbury Health Department. All wells within this area were not tested.

If the public water extension project were to proceed for the MM area, would ALL of the homeowners in the designated area be required to participate?

In the Tighe & Bond presentation to Town Council in March 2022, the proposed project assumed that all homeowners within that area would opt in to participate and share the associated costs. While the project area could potentially be reconfigured, and certain homeowners may not be required to participate, there are some parcels that would be critical to the project’s feasibility. These vital parcels/homeowners would be required to participate to ensure public water infrastructure can be extended to the identified network of homes/wells.   

How do I find out if my street is part of this project for public water main extension? 

Tighe and Bond created a preliminary report that proposes water system expansion to streets in MM where water line extension is feasible. Page 7 shows the streets included in the proposal.

If I don’t connect to public water and my private well fails after water is brought to my neighborhood, am I required to connect to public water, or can I replace my well?

Connecticut General Statutes allow the installation of a replacement well for single-family residences in this situation. 

Who can I contact with questions about the quality of my well water?

Residents served by the Manchester Water Department can reference the annual Water Quality Report (WQR) for additional information about the quality and testing of their well water. The report also includes contact information for representatives at Manchester Water, who can assist with any further inquiries. Click here for the most recent (2021) Water Quality Report.

Additionally, residents can view the regulatory guidelines and state testing requirements for public water agencies by viewing the CT DPH Water Quality Monitoring and Compliance Schedule here.

Lastly, if you have general questions about uranium in well water, you can contact the Glastonbury Health Department. Please note, because the proposed public water extension project will not be funded through state programs, Glastonbury Town staff cannot answer questions specifically regarding this proposed project. However, Town Councilwoman Mary LaChance has offered to serve as the point person for fielding community questions. Please feel free to reach out to her at mary.lachance@glastonbury-ct.gov.