Water quality management in the Quinnipiac River Basin, Connecticut

Abstract

The Quinnipiac River Basin, located in South-Central Connecticut, flows 38 miles from its headwaters in New Britain and Plainville, Connecticut to its mouth in New Haven Harbor. The basin is heavily developed, with the majority of the land in the basin classified as residential and urban. The five municipal water pollution control facilities and one large privately-owned water pollution control facility operating in the Quinnipiac Basin are responsible for maintaining acceptable levels of water quality in the Quinnipiac River. While the current water quality management practices within the Quinnipiac River basin are capable of meeting the various water quality standards, changes in the water quality management system may require an adjustment or alteration of the current management practices. The focus of this study is the identification of possible improvements to the current water resources management practices in the Quinnipiac Basin and a discussion of the feasibility of the proposed improvements.