FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 10, 2001

CONTACT:	Matt Nozzolio, MDC 1-860-340-4365 1-860-278-7850 x3209 During Business Hours
	Dan Meaney, Connecticut Water Company 1-860-340-3853 1-800-428-3985 x3016 During Business Hours

The Metropolitan District has taken its Nepaug Reservoir and Collinsville Water Treatment process off line, effective 4:00 a.m. on October 10 as a precautionary measure pending further investigation and analysis.

The action was taken in response to the discovery of a carcass of a pit bull dog in the reservoir area. Autopsy results performed at the University of Connecticut have since determined that the dog died from drowning. It is not uncommon for an animal or other wildlife to enter a surface water supply and treatment technologies in place at the treatment plant provide a multi-barrier system designed to handle biological contaminants associated with an animal in the water body.

Routine water quality testing and in plant monitoring has been conducted and do not indicate any water quality violations, however, additional testing is being performed as a precaution in view of recent world events.

Appropriate governmental agencies have been notified and MDC and Connecticut Water are working closely with those agencies in the investigation. The State DPH will review water quality test results and be consulted before the plant is put back in service. Law enforcement officials are investigating this incident but do not suspect terrorist activity.

The MDC’s Barkhamsted Reservoir and West Hartford and Reservoir 6 Water Treatment Facilities remain online and unaffected by the closure. Customers in the 13 towns served by the MDC are not affected.

The Collinsville Treatment Facility treats water from the Nepaug Reservoir and serves approximately 1300 customers of the Connecticut Water Company in the towns of Canton, Avon and Burlington. This action does not affect any other Connecticut Water customers or any other Connecticut Water service towns.

The reservoir supply was disconnected after the dog was discovered and no water was delivered to the treatment plant or distribution system. In the interim, water for customers of the Collinsville System is being drawn from a Connecticut Water Company storage tank in Avon and a temporary interconnection has been activated from the Avon Water Department to supplement the available supply. This water is not treated at or in contact with water from the Nepaug Reservoir or the Collinsville Water Treatment Plant. Customers may feel confident in the quality of the water being delivered in the system.

While these operational changes are in effect, we ask that customers practice water conservation measures and limit any unnecessary use so that we can maintain adequate supplies and pressures for customers and fire protection purposes as long as possible.

Customers will be notified if any water quality violations are detected in the additional testing or may call Connecticut Water Company at 1-800-286-5700 if they have specific questions.

# # #