Cathy Osten

Sen. Osten Named CT Water Works Association Legislator of the Year

State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) was recognized today as the 2019 “Legislator of the Year” by the Connecticut Water Works Association in recognition of her work on a variety of bills, including funds to fight invasive aquatic species and state loans to ensure adequate supplies of safe public drinking water in Connecticut.

The award was presented to Sen. Osten in front of nearly 175 people this morning at the CWWA’s Annual Fall Conference at the Aqua Turf in Southington.

“It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of a safe, reliable public water supply in Connecticut,” Sen. Osten said. “The cost of water is pretty cheap when compared to other essentials such as gasoline and electricity. But Connecticut as a state is nearly a quarter-century old, which means our water infrastructure system is pretty old, which means it needs constant updating and maintenance. I think the state has a role to play in that in order to serve and protect its citizens, so I thank the Connecticut Water Works Association for working with me to help achieve that.”

Sen. Osten also took the opportunity this morning to look forward to the 2020 legislative session which begins in February, predicting state legislators will likely debate bills about road salt contaminating private wells, mandatory testing for lead in public school water supplies, and PFAS — a group of man-made chemicals that have been around since the 1940s that are very persistent in the environment and in the human body and which can lead to adverse human health effects.

In presenting the award, CWWA President Mark Decker of Norwich Public Utilities said, “Senator Osten recognizes the importance of investing in water infrastructure to ensure the availability of safe, high-quality drinking water to meet the public health, safety and economic development needs of residents and businesses. In addition, Senator Osten has worked tirelessly to address water supply issues both in the communities she serves and the state as a whole. Last session, she successfully fought against unnecessary increases in fees on water customer bills, which will help ensure that public water suppliers can continue to provide residents with drinking water at a reasonable cost.”
“Senator Osten’s ability to understand and address the complex issues affecting Connecticut’s public water supplies is much appreciated. Her efforts will help position Connecticut as a leader in protecting water quality by supporting investment in replacing the state’s aging water infrastructure,” Decker said.

Sen. Osten is Senate Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Vice-Chair of the Labor & Public Employees and Public Safety & Security committees, and a member of the Transportation, Veterans’ Affairs, and Regulations Review committees.
The Connecticut Water Works Association is an organization of public water supply utilities that work together to develop meaningful policies to ensure a safe, high-quality supply of water for customers and a regulatory environment in which it can operate effectively.