Sen. Boucher & Rep. Frey Applaud Federal Funds For Ridgefield Public Schools Water Project

State Senator Toni Boucher (R-26) Representative John Frey (R-111) applauded the availability of federal stimulus funds to extend water mains to the Barlow Mountain Elementary and Scotland Elementary schools in Ridgefield.

Governor M. Jodi Rell recently announced that the projects are included among $68 million in federally funded upgrades for public drinking water and wastewater treatment for cities and towns around the state. Governor Rell said that the state departments of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Public Health (DPH), working with the state Treasurer’s Office, were able to get all the projects underway prior to the federally mandated February 17th deadline. The stimulus law requires that priority be given to those projects ready for actual construction within 12 months of the bill’s enactment date of February 17, 2009.

“Extending water mains to Barlow Mountain and Scotland elementary school will address serious water quality problems with their on-site water system. It makes sense for the state to use some of its share of the federal stimulus funding on necessary projects that will clearly benefit both the children and staff at these schools,” said Senator Boucher.

“I am pleased that the extension of these water mains has received the attention it deserves,” said Representative Frey. “I’d like to thank all the advocates who worked to help secure the funding for this important project in the Ridgefield community. Through the collective efforts of many, this became a priority project for the state DPH – as it should have– and the school children of Ridgefield will be the beneficiaries.”

According to information provided by the state Department of Public Health, it is expected that construction will begin in April and be completed in July. The Town of Ridgefield received $1,426,870 for these projects, of which $620,688 is a loan and $806,182 is a subsidy. The project involves extending a water main along North Street to provide drinking water to the two schools, addressing outstanding Public Health Code violations identified with the on-site water system. When the project is completed, the on-site water system will be abandoned. The funding is being administered through Connecticut’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan program.