The Threatened Water Supply

To the Editor:

Stop the unregulated solid waste transfer station in Hawleyville that is masquerading as a railroad operation: Our water supply is threatened!

After reading the article that appeared in the News-Times on September 18 about the Housatonic Railroad Company (HRRC) and their existing unregulated storage and transfer of waste in Hawleyville as well as their planned expansion of a solid waste facility and annex on top of the Pond Brook aquifer, I decided to write to provide balance on the subject.

Pond Brook is an aquifer that is classified as GA or ground water that is accessed and suitable for drinking. It is not formally in the State of Connecticut’s Aquifer Protection Program simply because it is not large enough. The Pond Brook aquifer is GA classified, which means that is must be protected now and in the future because it provides water to the neighborhood.

No industrial discharge should be allowed on or into the Pond Brook aquifer. The existing storage and transfer of waste on site by the HRRC is not contained now nor can it really ever be completely controlled.

Please consider the health hazards associated with the HRRC that works unregulated with waste businesses under the radar now and for the past five years and who has stated publicly that town and state oversight is not legally justified nor do they believe that are obligated to listen to neighbors, the town or the state’s concerns while they continue to expand their trash business. The HRRC has not met their responsibilities to our community nor have they acted as good citizens of Newtown; instead they have become a burden, and we need to oppose their existence as a transfer and solid waste facility.

Sincerely,

Dr Catherine Winkler

Currituck Road, Newtown                                    September 26, 2009