Sen. Hwang Reaffirms Opposition to Aquarion Water Sale Following State Petition to Reconsider PURA Approval

State Sen. Tony Hwang (R–Fairfield) today reaffirmed his strong opposition to the proposed sale of Aquarion Water Company to the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority, following the state’s joint petition urging the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to reconsider its approval after discovering a major error that failed to account for nearly half a billion dollars in projected future rate increases. State officials challenging the decision say PURA’s analysis omitted roughly $474 million in additional rate increases through 2066, raising serious new questions about affordability, transparency, and whether the sale truly serves the public interest.

He said, “I remain firmly opposed to the sale of Aquarion Water because this was never simply a business transaction. It involves an essential public resource and demands the highest standard of transparency, accountability, affordability, and environmental stewardship.

“This latest revelation — that PURA’s approval may have overlooked approximately $474 million in future rate increases — is deeply alarming. That is not a technical footnote. It is a massive error with potentially enormous financial consequences for water customers, municipalities, and families already struggling under Connecticut’s high cost of living.

“From the beginning, I opposed this sale because the process was flawed, the legislative authorization was rushed, and the long-term risks to ratepayers and municipalities were never adequately addressed. In my June 2025 testimony before PURA, I warned that this deal threatened consumer protections, municipal revenues, and public trust, while advancing a closed-door process on a matter of enormous public consequence.

“When PURA originally denied the proposed sale in November 2025, I joined bipartisan municipal leaders and state legislators in calling that outcome a ‘watershed moment’ victory for residents and municipalities that depend on strong oversight of public water resources. That principle has not changed. Water is a public trust, not a commodity to be transferred through a process that leaves customers exposed and communities unheard.

“Even when PURA later signaled approval in March 2026, regulators themselves acknowledged serious concerns about the transaction’s impact on customers, governance conflicts, and additional costs that could offset the claimed benefits of public ownership. Those warnings should never have been brushed aside.

“Now, with this newly identified error, it is even more clear that this decision must be reconsidered immediately and fully. Connecticut ratepayers deserve better than a flawed approval process, incomplete financial analysis, and decades of uncertainty over future water costs.

“My position remains the same: this sale should not move forward unless and until the public can be assured that customer affordability, environmental protection, municipal interests, and full regulatory accountability come first. The people of Connecticut deserve a transparent process and a decision grounded in facts, not assumptions.”

Sen. Hwang has consistently argued that the proposed Aquarion-RWA transaction risks weakening consumer protections, reducing accountability, and harming municipal finances if watershed lands are transferred into tax-exempt ownership. In his June 2025 testimony, he urged PURA to reject the deal and called for a full, transparent legislative review.

His concerns were reinforced when PURA initially denied the sale in November 2025, a decision Hwang and municipal and state leaders praised as a major victory for residents and municipalities relying on strong oversight of water resources.

But in March 2026, PURA signaled approval after a court-ordered reconsideration, stating the transaction was “reasonably aligned with the public’s interest” while also acknowledging concerns about customer costs, lack of an independent consumer advocate, and conflicting interests on the combined governing board.