New Haven RWA moving to greener, cleaner sources
There are varying opinions on climate change and the direct and indirect impact it has on our planet. As a local community member you may or may not agree with some or any of these opinions; however one has to admit and appreciate that modern science and technology has given us various types of energy that we can take advantage of. Hopefully, the days of direct fossil fuel burning as a leading means of producing energy are soon are behind us, and thankfully we have immediate alternatives that are not only “green” but effective in meeting the needs of our community.
New Haven’s non-profit, regional water supplier, South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (RWA), recently announced that it will be completely powered by green, renewable energy sources by the end of 2019. This is a result of signing a 4-year contract with Constellation Energy, which will facilitate RWA’s transition to 100% renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power.
How does this impact you, and why should you care? A potential and obvious concern is whether or not this will impact your water bill. Dan Doyle, an RWA spokesman, has been quoted as saying that RWA’s energy costs are expected to remain at their current levels - whether or not any changes to customers’ water bills has yet to be determined. As a personal customer of RWA naturally my first inclination is to keep costs low, however taking care of the local environment, despite a possible increase in energy costs may be what we all need to do in order to keep our local environment and health of the community a top priority. For reference, RWA supplies water to approximately 430,000 customers across the southern Connecticut region.
In conclusion, a positive outcome of this change is that company officials have indicated that they are committed to being environmentally friendly by reducing RWA’s carbon footprint. Larry Bingaman, RWA’s president and CEO, has said that the health of the environment is critical to the region’s water quality and the health of the company’s customers. This is an encouraging statement from a company that supplies much the region’s water supply, and a hopeful sign that the as the greater conversation of climate change continues to evolve there are local companies that are willing to make changes, not necessarily for the greater benefit of themselves, but for the greater good of the community and environment.
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