The Water Planning Council (WPC, or Council) consists of Commissioners from 4 state agencies: the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); Department of Public Health (DPH); Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC); and the Office of Policy and Management (OPM). The Council convened its first meeting on October 22, 2001 to study eleven issues identified by the Legislature regarding water company management and natural resource management. The Council continues to meet the first Monday of every month at the Department of Public Utility Control in New Britain, Connecticut.

The WPC initially established three Committees to investigate specific issues identified in PA 01-177 and submitted an Issues Work Plan to the Legislature on January 28, 2002. The three committees were, the Water Resource Management Committee, Water Utility Committee, and the Technical Management Committee. The three Committees, co-chaired by representatives of 3 state agencies, each formed two subcommittees co-chaired by stakeholders performing the research and analysis laid out in the WPC Issues Work Plan. The charge given to the subcommittees was to address the issues in accordance with the WPC Issues Work Plan and submit a report to the WPC offering an analysis and recommendations.

The committees submitted their reports to the Council in September of 2002. After consideration of the recommendations of the committees, the Water Planning Council submitted its annual report to the Legislature in January 2003, and proposed a set of initial action steps and policy changes for state agency implementation or legislative consideration.

Each of the WPC recommendations submitted in the January 2003 report are premised upon three general and overarching findings that are necessary for full implementation of system changes as contemplated and researched by the Council and its subcommittees. These findings include the need for a revised water allocation procedure, the securing of adequate, stable resources for water allocation management, and a reframing of the current management structure governing water policy. In this report, the Council endorsed concepts proposed in the Water Allocation Planning Model developed by the Water Allocation Subcommittee. This model identifies the critical components of a water allocation policy that integrates aspects of water resource planning and management necessary for a reasonable and well-balanced process for decision-making. The Water Allocation Policy Planning Model continues to be the basis for the Council's 2006 work plan and future work plans. Water Allocation Policy Planning: Critical Path (PDF, 52K).

The Water Planning Council established an Advisory Group in 2003 comprised of a broad array of stakeholders to assist the Water Planning Council in accomplishing action items set out in their 2003 report. Significant action items for the WPC included a proposed revision to the Diversion Act concerning registered diversions and a revision of the Stream Flow Standards. The proposed legislation to revise the Diversion Act failed. Legislation to revise the Minimum Stream Flow regulations that set standards for stocked streams and expand authority to regulate flows of all Connecticut streams passed in 2005. Also, in 2005, DEP began monitoring the Pomperaug River Pilot Study as a basin assessment tool and model as a first step in implementing the Water Allocation Policy Planning Model.

All Water Planning Council reports and committee reports can be downloaded from the following website: www.dpuc.state.ct.us/DPUCINFO.nsf/ByWaterPlanning?OpenView