Water company completes land preservation notices

CLINTON — Connecticut Water recently completed notification to 10 Connecticut towns and several private nonprofit land conservation organizations of the availability of company-owned land for preservation as open space, according to a statement. In all, there are approximately 480 acres of land that the company no longer needs for water supply purposes and plans to make available for preservation as open space.

“Connecticut Water has a strong record of preserving open-space land, working with local communities and land-holding organizations to preserve more than 1,000 acres over the past 20 years,” said Maureen P. Westbrook, president of Connecticut Water, in a statement. “We look forward to partnering with local communities and nonprofit land-holding organizations that have an interest in preserving this land. Most of these parcels are in their natural states and an asset to the community.”

The process of offering these parcels for sale to land conservation organizations is outlined in a 2018 agreement between Connecticut Water and Save the Sound that demonstrates the benefits of the company’s combination with SJW Group, completed in 2019. Connecticut Water and Save the Sound both recognize the importance of these open-space parcels to local communities and citizens across the state.

As called for under the agreement, Connecticut Water has notified towns and local land trusts that the land is available. The agreement allows land trusts an extended and expanded schedule beyond what’s outlined in Connecticut state statutes, giving communities a longer timeline to assess interest in the properties and acquire funding for the designated parcels, with at least 24 months to execute a plan to secure the property.

Under the agreement, Connecticut Water is also evaluating other company-owned land to evaluate its suitability for passive recreation opportunities that provide for the protection of public water supply sources. Connecticut Water owns more than 6,000 acres of land in Connecticut. The parcels of land specified in the Save the Sound are in Bethany, Chester, Harwinton, Killingworth, Naugatuck, Plymouth, Prospect, South Windsor, Stafford and Thomaston.