The state has declares a 30-day public water supply emergency for the city of Danbury.
Officials said Danbury’s City Water Bureau asked for help from the state Department of Public Health because of the impact the drought is having on the city’s public water system and Commissioner Dr. Raul Pino has signed an order.
The City’s Water Bureau provides water to residents and businesses in parts of Danbury, Ridgefield and Bethel and Danbury officials informed the state that its water supply reservoirs are approaching critically low levels.
The newly issued order will allow Danbury to use Lake Kenosia for the water supply.
Danbury is also required to institute mandatory water conservation measures.
“The current drought conditions are taxing many of the state’s reservoirs and forcing public water systems to ask for an emergency declaration to protect their supplies. DPH will continue to be vigilant in our enforcement of our drinking water standards while working with systems to make sure they continue to provide adequate supplies of water to their customers,” Pino said in a statement.
This is the third public water system in the past two months to request an emergency declaration.
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The first, Aquarion Water Company, was granted an emergency order on Sept. 29 to divert water from other areas of its system to Greenwich, Stamford, Darien and New Canaan.
On Oct. 20, an order was issued to the City of Waterbury allow it to reduce the amount of water it is required to discharge to the Shepaug River from six million gallons per day to 1.5 million gallons per day.
The order issued for Danbury will remain in effect for 30 days, but Danbury can apply for additional 30 day extensions, up to a maximum of 150 days.
