The Hidden Cost of Connecticut's New Utilities Deal: Water Prices Up 28%?
- Jun 7
- 2 min read
Did you open your mail recently to find a notice from Aquarion stating they plan to hike your average water bill by a staggering 28.6%?
Connecticut residents already pay some of the highest water rates in the nation. If approved, this massive spike will instantly catapult our state into the absolute top tier of the most expensive places for water in the country. Why is this happening, and what can you do about it?
The Corporate Justification
Aquarion claims this hike is necessary to ensure reliable service and clean drinking water for its 209,000 customers across 57 Connecticut communities. Specifically, they are looking to recover $474 million spent on capital investments since their last rate case three years ago.
According to the utility, the main culprits driving up costs are:
Aging Infrastructure: Replacing ancient, century-old water mains.
Aggressive Environmental Mandates: Meeting strict new standards to filter out toxic PFAS "forever chemicals."
Rising Energy Costs: The increasingly expensive electricity required to run treatment plants.
The Non-Profit Escape Hatch
While Aquarion blames infrastructure, a massive corporate shift is happening behind the scenes. Eversource (which has owned Aquarion since 2017) is currently executing a deal to sell the utility to a newly formed, quasi-public non-profit called the Aquarion Water Authority (AWA). PURA approved the framework for this sale in March 2026.
Don't let the "non-profit" label fool you. Critics have strongly warned that this sale will strip PURA of its power to regulate Aquarion’s rates in the future, handing total pricing control over to a municipal board. Worse yet, internal projections show steady rate hikes of 6.5% to 8.35% every single year until 2035 just to pay off the multi-billion dollar debt from the acquisition.
The Next "Public Benefit" Tax
Look closely at Aquarion’s notice and you will see a pitch for an expanded "rate assistance" program for low-income residential customers.
If this sounds familiar, it should. It is the exact same blueprint as the highly controversial Eversource Public Benefit Charge on your electric bill. By shifting social assistance costs onto corporate utility bills rather than funding them through the state budget, the state is effectively turning your water bill into a hidden, regressive tax.
Your Last Best Chance
PURA needs to hear from ratepayers before it's too late. Here is how you can take action:
Submit Written Comments: Email pura.executivesecretary@ct.gov. You must include "Docket No. 25-12-12 - Aquarion Rate Case" in the subject line for your voice to be counted.
Attend Public Hearings: PURA is hosting public comment hearings on June 17, 2026, and July 15, 2026 (with formal evidentiary hearings following in August).
Call with Questions: Contact PURA directly at (800) 382-4586, or reach Aquarion at (800) 732-9678 / CS@aquarionwater.com.
Between the Lines: Connecticut residents are the frogs in the pot of water, and the utilities are slowly turning up the heat to a boil. Now's the time to speak up.