Newtown Links Fairfield Hills Water to Aquarion, Ending Restrictions After 2024 Flood

NEWTOWN, CT — Aquarion Water Company has connected its system to the Fairfield Hills water supply, ending more than a year of restrictions on non-essential outdoor water use imposed after severe flooding in 2024.

The August 2024 storm flooded Aquarion’s wellfield off South Main Street in Botsford, taking two major wells offline. Since then, residents and businesses across Newtown have been limited in their water use. The new interconnection restores capacity and allows Aquarion to move to a two-day-per-week outdoor watering schedule.

“This project took thoughtful planning and strong collaboration,” First Selectman Jeff Capeci said in a statement. He credited Public Works Director Fred Hurley, Aquarion’s Robert Ulrich, and Tim Clark of the Pootatuck Club — which owns the land where the town-owned Fairfield Hills wells are located — for helping complete the project.

Capeci said the connection strengthens the system and provides stability for residents and businesses. It also enables Aquarion to honor “will-serve” letters for housing and commercial projects that had been delayed because of the shortage, particularly in Sandy Hook and other neighborhoods.

“This is a win for Newtown,” Capeci said. “It strengthens our water system, supports economic development, and removes limitations that residents and businesses have endured since last summer’s flood. Most importantly, it gives our community the confidence to move forward.”

Officials said the Fairfield Hills connection is designed for emergency use and is not a permanent fix. The town, Aquarion, and local partners are continuing to negotiate with a railroad company to resolve a culvert collapse that blocked the Pootatuck River and contributed to the wellfield flooding.

The parties will continue to monitor the system to ensure reliable service and long-term stability, according to the town.