Conn. town gets clean drinking water

Dec 01, 2023

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DURHAM, Connecticut — For many people, when they turn on a faucet to get water, they don't think about it being contaminated, but for decades members of the Durham community have.

Durham is celebrating because they now have clean, drinkable water and that simple taste of water means so much to them.

"The whole community does benefit from it. Absolutely no doubt about it," said Richard C Parley Jr.

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Since 1989 members of the community have been impacted by contamination at the Durham Meadows Superfund Site.

In all, 50 private wells serving 54 locations were contaminated, requiring people to use bottled water and install carbon treatment systems as a temporary solution.

But on Wednesday, that changed.

"I can be very sure that when my grandchildren come to visit that the water that they drink out of the tap, that the ice that they get out of our freezer is safe for them to consume," said Former Durham First Selectwoman, Laura Francis.

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"Nearly six miles of waterline have been installed to allow a connection to 120 homes and businesses," said House Appropriations Chair, Rosa DeLauro.

This was a multimillion-dollar construction project for a water line from Middletown to the town center.

"This has been a perfect model the way the state, federal, and local governments can work together to provide big solutions to big problems," said Francis.

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It's been a long time coming. A lot of people worked on it to make it come true, so I am grateful for that. Everyone needs clean water," said Parley Jr.

DeAndria Turner is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. She can be reached at [email protected].

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