In May 2007, Rivers Alliance (RA) circulated surveys created by RA and the CT Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).  The purpose of the surveys was to elicit information on local regulatory protections against NPS pollution of the state’s waters.  One survey was intended for members of environmental nonprofit organizations concerned with water resources; the other for municipal officials. 

RA sent out the surveys to 100 individuals selected by RA and DEP.  This elicited responses from 38 municipalities and 15 organizations for a total of 52 .  Target towns and organizations were selected by RA and DEP to achieve a reasonable distribution with respect to geography and economic wealth.  All respondents listed important water bodies in their areas, including approximately 70 rivers, over 40 brooks, about 40 lakes and reservoirs, and about 20 ponds.

RA analyzed the responses to determine what level of protection is generally in place; what works well or poorly; and what new or expanded NPS protections are particularly desired by communities. 

Over 90% of answers indicate that protection of water resources is specifically mentioned in the respondent’s community Plan of Conservation and Development.  Over 90% have upland review areas around wetlands and water courses.  Over 90% have open-space set asides for subdivisions.  Over 75% reference the DEP’s guidelines for erosion and sediment control and for stormwater management.  More than 70% have limits on impervious land cover. Approximately 70% have aquifer protection areas. 

These numbers demonstrate that a laudably high percentage of Connecticut town officials and environmental organizations recognize and attempt to honor the importance of protecting water resources. 

Effective implementation of protections is, however, less uniform, with useful protections and BMPS adopted and implemented in the range of 40% to 70% of towns covered and responding.  This percent is given as a range because in many cases details of the answer indicate that the existence of a regulation does not mean that resource is actually protected.  For example, almost three-quarters of respondents indicated that their towns have limits on impervious surface, but many had very high allowances, such as 70% in a reservoir-protection zone and 100% in a downtown area.  Many (about one quarter) indicated that the limits only apply in commercial zones.  Almost 60% have impervious cover over between 10% and 60% of their area.

In some cases, the environmental organizations expressed a different view from the municipalities.  For example, 67% of municipal representatives expressed satisfaction with floodplain regulation; but 80% (!) of environmental groups were dissatisfied.  In other cases, responses appear more positive than indicated by other sources of information.  For example, almost 88% of municipal respondents said that their upland review areas are strictly enforced, whereas minutes from the Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality suggest that weak enforcement is a serious issue statewide. 

The critical water-quality issues identified by respondents all (except for agriculture issues) relate one way or another to sprawl, stormwater, and aging infrastructure.    High on the lists are: 

• stormwater problems, including erosion and sediment loading
• mismanagement of roads during and post- construction
• problems associated with impervious surfaces
• problems associated with lawns, including use of pesticides & fertilizer
• clear cutting
• loss of natural buffers
• threats to drinking water
• problems associated with sewage

Management means for addressing these problems were reported as weakened by:

·        regulations inadequate for protection

·        inadequate education of town officials, staff, and residents

·        lack of resources for infrastructure improvement and maintenance

·        inconsistent standards from town to town

·        aggressive challenges by developers

Avon
Bolton
Branford
Bristol
Candlewood Lake Authority
Canterbury
Colchester
Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District
Cromwell
East Haddam
East Lyme
Eightmile River Wild & Scenic
Essex
Farmington River Watershed Association
Glastonbury
Green Valley Institute
Greenwich
Groton/Groton Open Space Association
Guilford
Hartford
Housatonic Valley Association
Kent
Litchfield
Lower CT River/ The Nature Conservancy
Middletown
New Canaan
North Central Conservation District
Northwest Conservation District
Old Saybrook
Park River/Hartford
Pomperaug River Watershed Association
Putnam
Roxbury
Salem
Saugatuck River Watershed / The Nature Conservancy
Simsbury
Southbury
Southwest Conservation District
Stonington
Thompson
Torrington
Vernon
Voluntown
Washington
Watertown
Westbrook
Wilton
Woodbury
Woodstock