Bye Joined by Local Residents, Environmental Advocates to Voice Concerns Over Niagara Bottling Deal

Senator Beth Bye testifies before the Planning & Development Committee in support of Senate Bill 422 which seeks to prioritize residential consumer water sales during public drinking water supply emergencies, prohibit companies that sell bottled water from receiving water rates less than residential customers, and ensure that sellers who export bottled water out of Connecticut do not pay lower sewer rates than residential customers. THe proposed bill, which Senator Bye is sponsoring, came about when citizens from Bloomfield, West Hartford, Windsor and other Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) towns expressed concern about a deal between the town of Bloomfield and the Niagara Bottling Company that would allow up to 1.8 million gallons per day to be withdrawn from the Farmington River watershed, a water source controlled by the MDC that provides drinking water to 12 towns. (March 11, 2016) www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/bye-160311.php

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