Bill Addresses Waterbury Sewage Spill
The House has approved legislation that was born out of delays in reporting a massive sewage spill in Waterbury. The legislation increases the reporting requirements by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) following a sewage spill.
This will help with the flow of information following a spill. It's about transparency, accountability and communication.
DEEP will be required to post on its website information on spills within 24 hours after the unanticipated spill begins and issue the information in the form of a press release.
We want to make sure citizens that use our waterways and communities down river are aware when there is a spill. This is about protecting the health and safety of our communities.
In October of last year, millions gallons of raw sewage spilled out of Waterbury's waste water treatment plant and into the Naugatuck River after a power failure – the public and other impacted municipalities were not immediately notified of the spill.