Senator Tony Hwang Calls for Scrutiny and Full Transparency in Proposed Aquarion Water Company Sale

Aspetuck Reservoir in Easton

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2025

FAIRFIELD, CT — State Senator Tony Hwang (R–Fairfield, Easton, Newtown, Bethel) today called for a bipartisan, public, and fully transparent review of the proposed sale of Aquarion Water Company by Eversource to the Regional Water Authority (RWA), emphasizing that community protections, environmental stewardship, and taxpayer impacts must guide the decision-making process, not rushed legislation or corporate interests.

Hwang emphasized that the concerns surrounding the proposal are rooted in a shared responsibility to safeguard Connecticut families, towns, and natural resources.

“Access to safe, affordable drinking water is not a partisan issue, it’s a fundamental public trust,” Hwang said. “Before Connecticut considers a transaction of this magnitude, the public deserves full transparency, fiscal accountability, and a fair process grounded in science, public input, and long-term environmental stewardship.”

Community & Taxpayer Impacts

The proposed sale could produce significant tax revenue losses to municipalities across Connecticut because Aquarion’s taxable property would transition to quasi-public authority status. Even with proposed PILOT payments, towns warn of potential gaps that could force higher local property taxes, cuts in services, or both.

“Municipalities cannot be left holding the bag,” Hwang said. “This is a statewide issue that demands clear financial transparency and honest projections—not assumptions.”

Environmental & Public Health Concerns

Aquarion currently owns thousands of acres of watershed lands essential to clean drinking water, habitat protection, flood resilience, and climate adaptation. Environmental organizations, land trusts, and conservation commissions have raised alarm that the proposed transfer could weaken environmental safeguards, reduce oversight, and complicate future land-use protections.

Additionally, Public Act 24-142, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, allows PURA-regulated companies to recover PFAS remediation costs responsibly. If Aquarion exits PURA oversight, PFAS monitoring and cleanup could become less transparent and more costly to customers.

“Watershed forests are our natural filtration system,” Hwang said. “We cannot risk weakening the environmental protections that keep our drinking water clean and our communities safe.”

Call for Due Process & Transparency

Hwang called for public hearings, independent fiscal analysis, environmental review, and municipal consultation before any decision proceeds. He also urged PURA to maintain rigorous oversight until all questions are answered.

“A $2.4 billion water-system transfer cannot be rushed or buried inside a special-session bill,” Hwang said. “Connecticut residents deserve accountable governance, independent review, and a transparent process that protects ratepayers and the public interest.”

A Bipartisan Path Forward

Hwang emphasized that lawmakers from both parties share serious concerns.

“This is about doing right by the people we serve,” Hwang said. “Together, Democrats, Republicans, and local leaders, we must ensure any water-system decision strengthens affordability, environmental protection, and public trust.”