CT SB00288

Transfers authority for issuing certificates of public convenience and necessity for water system construction and expansion from the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to the Department of Public Health, effective October 1, 2016.

Requires entities seeking to construct new water systems serving 15+ connections or 25+ persons, or expand existing systems (except those serving 250+ connections or 1,000+ persons), to obtain a Department of Public Health certificate before beginning work.

Establishes that the Department of Public Health must determine certificate eligibility based on eight criteria including feasibility of interconnection, compliance with engineering standards, financial/managerial/technical capability, and absence of pollution threats to water sources.

Delegates financial resource assessment to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority when the water system owner is a water company or not the exclusive service area provider.

Exempts properties owned by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection used for fish culture, natural resource conservation, or outdoor recreation from certain certificate requirements, and allows Department of Public Health to adopt regulations including water conservation measures.