The recently passed Fiscal Year 2026 federal spending bill that was signed into law includes $960,000 to fund the ongoing work to modernize the wastewater infrastructure of Connecticut’s Norwich Public Utilities (NPU) in the Greeneville section of the city.
“The continued advocacy of Senators Blumenthal and Murphy on behalf of NPU means more federal funding in Norwich, directly benefiting our customers,” said Jeff Brining, General Manager of NPU. “These investments will make an enormous impact on water quality in Norwich and our region for generations to come.”
“This $960,000 in federal funding for Norwich Public Utilities represents a critical investment not only in essential infrastructure, but in the long-term health of the Shetucket River by preventing millions of gallons of untreated sewage from being dumped into its waters. I’m proud to have helped deliver this funding to Norwich and will keep fighting to bring federal dollars back to essential projects here in Connecticut,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal.
In January, the U.S. House and Senate passed a Fiscal Year 2026 spending bill that provides funding for some, but not all, government agencies.
The bill included funding for Congressionally Directed Spending items under several appropriations bills; the NPU funding was included in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill.
This latest round of funding will be used for cleaning existing wastewater mains and installing a "cured in place pipe," which is essentially re-lining approximately 2,000 feet of very old infrastructure, making it more durable and reliable.
In addition, the project will also include manhole lining for the 27” to 36” brick main along Central Avenue and North Main Street. This pipe is the main artery that takes all flows from the Greeneville section of Norwich.
NPU has identified more than 27,000 linear feet of piping that needs to be replaced; nearly 8,000 feet has been completed in the past four years.
NPU records indicate that most of these pipes were installed between 1885 and 1950.
