Officials say a new agreement between the city of Hartford and the local water and sewer authority will lead to fewer stormwater-related flooding events and less pollution in waterways.
Federal, state and local officials gathered on the North End of Hartford Tuesday to celebrate the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the city and the Metropolitan District Commission.
“By working together to manage stormwater quality more effectively, we are not only meeting our regulatory requirements but also addressing longstanding issues of flooding and water quality in our communities,” Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said.
“We are pleased to partner with the mayor, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to collectively work towards the remediation of localized street flooding during rain events,” said MDC Chairman Donald Currey.
Residents of Hartford’s North End have regularly endured flooding and sewer backups during heavy rains for years.
Historically, Hartford and the MDC, which provides water and sewer services in greater Hartford, have quarrelled over which entity is responsible for what when it comes to stormwater.
“That kind of interpersonal fight means that Hartford residents have suffered,” Arulampalam said.
Since the MDC and the city each own or control portions of the storm sewer system, officials said Tuesday, the agreement was necessary to ensure compliance with regulations overseen by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
DEEP Deputy Commissioner Emma Cimino said the agreement is “incredibly important.”
“It means things like less flooding within the city, cleaner water flowing to our streams and rivers, cleaner storm drains and culverts,” Cimino said.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator David W. Cash also celebrated the agreement, which his agency played a role in shaping. He said it would help in mitigating stormwater-related flooding.
“This isn’t just an administrative agreement, a piece of paper signed,” Cash said. “It’s a promise to every Hartford resident who has ever watched their street flood or worried about their basement during a heavy rain.”
In addition to codifying exactly what upkeep the city and MDC are each responsible for, officials said the agreement would also involve a city-led public education initiative concerning individual responsibility to the water system, a program to detect “illicit discharges,” and construction site runoff control.
