Lamont Grants Hartford $85M To Fight Sewage Flooding Problem

State of Connecticut

HARTFORD, CT — The state is committing significant cash to helping one Hartford neighborhood combat a disgusting flooding problem involving sewage in the streets and basements.

Gov. Ned Lamont Monday said his administration is committing $85 million in state funding from the state’s Clean Water Fund and Clean Water Fund-related dollars to implement a pilot program that will address sewage overflows in streets and basements in North Hartford.

There, residents have been chronically impacted by the long-term recurrence of sewer overflows.

Administered by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Clean Water Fund provides financial assistance to municipalities for projects addressing wastewater needs.

The funds will be applied to 12 projects proposed by the Metropolitan District (MDC) to increase protections from sewer and stormwater-related flooding and backups in North Hartford.

The projects are estimated to cost $170 million.

In providing this funding, DEEP has confirmed MDC anticipates the remaining cash for these projects will be covered within the current MDC rate structure, with no impact on current rates.

Five projects are slated to begin in 2023, six projects will begin in 2024 and one project will begin in 2025.

“I am glad that we can release this significant state funding to Hartford’s North End, which has been disproportionately impacted by sewer overflows for a long time,” Lamont said. “I’m grateful to DEEP, the Hartford delegation, the MDC, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the community leaders in Hartford for working together to make progress on this complex but critically important issue.”

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin agreed.

“This investment in the stormwater and sewer infrastructure will make a big difference for residents and businesses in North Hartford," Bronin said.

"This package includes funds to reimburse residents and small business owners who suffer damage from flooding and it includes funding to make improvements in the ancient infrastructure that’s just not able to handle the kind of storms we routinely see today.”

“Legacy combined sewer systems threaten both the health of our ecosystems and the vitality of our communities,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “With the acceleration of climate change, more frequent, intense rainstorms are overwhelming sewer systems and causing street flooding, which leads ultimately to sewage backups that are devastating to residents.”

DEEP and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are coordinating a community forum for North End residents in July to provide information about the initiative and answer questions.

For the full announcement, including comments from local leaders in the legislature, click on this link.

For more information on the Clean Water Fund, visit this link.