Earth Day: Connecticut Water invests in water stewardship and environmental sustainability

CLINTON, Conn., April 21, 2025 — Earth Day holds special significance for Connecticut Water employees, since part of the company’s mission to deliver life-sustaining, high-quality water means protecting water sources and the environment. In addition to stewarding more than 6,500 acres of open space, six facilities across the service now generate electricity from solar arrays, which reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, with more plans in the future. 
The arrays reduced Connecticut Water’s carbon emissions by 714 tons to date, which equates to 846 lbs. on a typical spring day. 

“Protecting the quality of our water sources and taking care of the environment for future generations is core to who we are as water professionals,” Connecticut Water President Craig Patla said. “In addition to the source protection, our employees engage in environmental stewardship initiatives throughout the year. From rain barrels to bird boxes and pollinator gardens, it’s great to see our folks out in the community making a difference.”

For several years in a row, Connecticut Water partnered with Upcycle Products to offer customers the chance to purchase upcycled rain barrels at a discount. The first 250 customers who purchase a rain barrel each year, and provide the receipt to the company, are eligible for a $10 rebate on their water bill. An upcycled rain barrel keeps them out a landfill while also allowing customers to conserve water, reduce runoff and conserve energy. 

Connecticut Water employee volunteers built and installed 40 wood duck and bluebird nesting boxes on company land using lumber donated by DEEP and scrap signposts donated by the Department of Transportation. Company volunteers maintain and clean the bird boxes.

“Another way we protect our water supplies is to engage in efforts to protect and preserve land in our watersheds as open space, where they’ll be protected from development forever,” Patla said. “Almost all of our 6,500 acres in Connecticut is dedicated open space. We invest in additional watershed acreage as it is available and beneficial to the protection of our water supply.”

For example, in January the company announced the acquisition of more than 125 acres of land as open space in Prospect and Tolland as part of the company’s continued commitment to protecting our customers’ sources of drinking water. The purchases include about 66 acres in Prospect near the Long Hill Reservoir and about 60 acres near the Shenipsit Lake Reservoir in Tolland.

The Water Drop Watchers Program also provides education and encourages conservation by offering third grade students in the service communities a curriculum-aligned, interactive lesson in where water is found, the water cycle, how much freshwater is available on earth, how much water we use for common daily activities and ways to conserve water. Since the program's launch in 2017, thousands of Connecticut students have learned about the importance of clean water and conservation in lessons that meet state curriculum standards.