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Exhibit 10.8a SECOND AMENDMENT TO
SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT AGREEMENT WHEREAS, the Connecticut Water Company (hereinafter referred to as Employer) and
Thomas R. Marston (hereinafter referred to as the Employee) entered into a Supplement
Executive Retirement Agreement dated as of
(hereinafter referred to as the Agreement); and WHEREAS, the parties wish to amend the Agreement in accordance with the provisions
of Section 5.a. thereof; NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual covenants and
agreements contained herein, the Agreement is hereby amended effective as of the date first
above written as follows: 1. The second paragraph of Section 1.a. of the Agreement is deleted and the
following two paragraphs are substituted in lieu thereof: For
purposes of the foregoing, Average Earnings shall have the meaning set forth in
the Retirement Plan, except that in determining Average Earnings, Annual Earnings (as
defined in the Retirement Plan) shall not be limited to the OBRA 93 annual compensation
limit, the annual compensation limit imposed under the Economic Growth and Tax Relief
Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA), or any similar limit on annual compensation under
Section 401(a)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), imposed
by any future legislation. In determining Average Earnings, if the Employee retires under this Agreement on or
after attainment of age 62, Annual Earnings shall include the value of all of the following:
(1) Performance Shares, (2) Cash Units, and (3) Restricted Stock awarded to a Participant
under the Connecticut Water Service, Inc. Performance Stock Program for any year in which
such awards are made, including awards made prior to the date this change in the definition
of Average Earnings is adopted. The value of such awards shall be included within Annual
Earnings in the year in which such amounts are finally determined and actually awarded. Such
amounts, if credited to a Performance Share Account, shall not be counted a second time when
payment is made from such Account. 2. A new Section 1.b. shall be inserted into Section 1 of the Agreement, immediately
following Section 1.a. Sections 1.b. and l.c. shall be re-designated as Sections l.c. and
l.d. respectively. The new Section 1.b. shall read in its entirety as follows: b. Early Retirement. If, upon or after the Employees attainment of age 55
and prior to attainment of age 65, the Employees employment shall be terminated and he 1




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Exhibit 10.8a shall be eligible to receive a benefit under the Retirement Plan, the Employee shall
be entitled to receive pursuant to this Agreement a benefit having a value equal to an
annual benefit for his life of (a) 60% of the Employees Average Earnings reduced by (b) the annual
benefit payable to the Employee under the Retirement Plan in the form of a single life annuity for
the life of the Employee (whether or not the benefit under the Retirement Plan is actually paid in
such form) commencing at age 65 (whether or not the benefit under the Retirement Plan commences at
such time). If such benefit shall commence to be paid prior to the Employees attainment of age 62,
such benefit shall be reduced by 4% for each complete year by which the date of benefit
commencement precedes his attainment of age 62. For
purposes of the foregoing, Average Earnings shall have the meaning set forth in the
Retirement Plan, except that in determining Average Earnings, Annual Earnings (as defined in the
Retirement Plan) shall not be limited to the OBRA 93 annual compensation limit, the annual
compensation limit imposed under the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001
(EGTRRA), or any similar limit on annual compensation under Section 401(a)(17) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), imposed by any future legislation. In determining Average Earnings, if the Employee retires under this Agreement on or after
attainment of age 62, Annual Earnings shall include the value of all of the following: (1)
Performance Shares, (2) Cash Units, and (3) Restricted Stock awarded to a Participant under the
Connecticut Water Service, Inc. Performance Stock Program for any year in which such awards are
made, including awards made prior to the date this change in the definition of Average Earnings is
adopted. The value of such awards shall be included within Annual Earnings in the year in which
such amounts are finally determined and actually awarded. Such amounts, if credited to a
Performance Share Account, shall not be counted a second time when payment is made from such
Account. 3. The last sentence of the newly designated Section 1.c. (entitled Disability Benefits)
is hereby amended by substituting therein the number 62 where the number 65 appears. 4. The second sentence of Section 2. is hereby amended to read in its entirety as
follows: Such installments shall commence to be paid on the first such day which coincides with or
follows the day upon which the Employees benefit under the Retirement Plan shall commence to be
paid; provided, however, that benefits pursuant to Section 1.b. hereof shall commence at such
later date as shall be requested by the Employee and approved by the Committee under the
Retirement Plan, in its sole discretion. 5. The second paragraph of Section 2. is hereby. amended by deleting the
reference to Section 1.a. or 1.b. therein and substituting in lieu thereof reference to
Section 1.a., 1.b. or l.c. 2




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6. A new Section 3. shall be inserted into the Agreement, immediately following Section 2.
Existing Sections 3., 4., and 5. shall be re-designated as Sections 4., 5., and 6. respectively.
The new Section 3. shall read in its entirety as follows: 3. DEATH BENEFIT. If the Employee has attained age 55 while in service with the
Employer and dies thereafter prior to the commencement of benefits pursuant to this Agreement, and
if the Employees spouse or other beneficiary is entitled to a death benefit under the Retirement
Plan, said spouse or other beneficiary shall be entitled to receive a death benefit pursuant to
this Plan. The amount of said death benefit shall be determined as if the Employee had retired on
the day prior to his death with either a Joint and Survivor Annuity in effect, if his spouse is
his beneficiary under the Retirement Plan, or a five years certain and life annuity (as described
in the Retirement Plan) in effect, if his beneficiary is other than his spouse. If the benefit is
determined under a five years certain and life annuity, it shall be paid in an actuarially
equivalent lump sum, as determined by the Committee under the Retirement Plan using the
appropriate factors set forth in the Retirement Plan. No other death benefits shall be payable in the event of the Employees death prior to the
commencement of benefits hereunder. 7. Newly designated Section 6.a. of the Agreement (entitled Miscellaneous)
is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows: a. This Agreement may be amended at any time by mutual written agreement of the parties
hereto, but no amendment shall operate to give the Employee, his spouse, his estate or any other
beneficiary, either directly or indirectly, any interest whatsoever in any funds or assets of the
Employer, except the right to receive the payments herein provided and the right to receive such
payments from assets held in the Trust. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Employer and the Employee have executed this Amendment as of
December 2, 1004. EMPLOYEE
    
    CONNECTICUT WATER COMPANY/s/ Thomas R. Marston
    
    BY: /s/ Michele G. DiAcriThomas R. Marston
    
    Michele G. DiAcriCorporate Secretary




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Exhibit 10.8a FIRST AMENDMENT ToSUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT AGREEMENT Effective as of August 1, 1999 WHEREAS, the Connecticut Water Company (hereinafter referred to as the Employer) and
Thomas R. Marston (hereinafter referred to as the Employee) entered into a Supplemental
Executive Retirement Agreement dated as of December 2, 2004 (hereinafter referred to as the
Agreement); and WHEREAS, the parties wish to amend the Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Section
5(a) thereof; NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual covenants and agreements
contained herein, the Agreement is hereby amended effective as of the date first above written as
follows: 1. The second paragraph of Section 1(a) of the Agreement is amended to read in Its
entirety as follows: For purposes of the foregoing, Average Earnings shall have the meaning set forth in
the Retirement Plan, except that in determining Average Earnings, Annual Earnings (as
defined in the Retirement Plan) shall not be limited to the OBRA93 annual compensation
limit. CONNECTICUT WATER SERVICE, INC./s/ Thomas R. Marston
    
    BY: /s/ Michele G. DiAcriThomas R. Marston
    
    Michele G. DiAcriCorporate SecretaryDecember 2, 2004
    
    December 6, 2004
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Exhibit 10.8a SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT AGREEMENT This Agreement, made this 2nd day of December 2004 by and between THE CONNECTICUT WATER
COMPANY (hereinafter referred to as the Employer) and Thomas R. Marston (hereinafter referred to
as the Employee). WITNESSETH THAT: WHEREAS, the Employee is and will be rendering valuable services to the Employer in his/her
capacity as an executive officer, and WHEREAS, the Employer desires to ensure that it will have the benefit of the Employees
services until he/she reaches retirement, and WHEREAS, the Employer wishes to assist the Employee in providing for the financial
requirements of the Employee in the event of his/her retirement, disability or death. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual covenants and agreements
herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows: 1. SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT BENEFIT a. Normal or Deferred Retirement. If, upon or after the Employees attainment of age
65 and completion of 35 consecutive years of service with Employer, the Employees employment shall
be terminated and he/she shall be eligible to receive a benefit under The Connecticut Water Company
Employees Retirement Plan (hereinafter referred to as the "Retirement Plan), the Employee shall
be entitled to receive pursuant to this Agreement a benefit having a value equal to an annual
benefit for his/her life of (a) 60% of the Employees Average Earnings reduced by (b) the annual
benefit payable to the Employee under the Retirement Plan in the form of a single life annuity for
the life of the Employee (whether or not the benefit under the Retirement Plan is actually paid in
such form) commencing at the same time as benefits hereunder. -5-




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Exhibit 10.8a For purposes of the foregoing, Average Earnings shall have the meaning set forth in the
Retirement Plan. The calculation of the benefit set forth above, and of all other benefits payable under this
Agreement, shall be performed by the Committee under the Retirement Plan, and the calculations and
interpretations of such Committee shall be final and binding on the parties hereto. b. Disability Benefit. If the Employees employment shall be terminated by a
disability such that the Employee is considered eligible for a full disability pension under the
provisions of the Social Security Act, the Employee shall be entitled to receive pursuant to this
Agreement a benefit having a value equal to an annual benefit for his/her life calculated in the
manner set forth above; provided, however, that a reduction factor of .72 shall be applied to such
annual benefit if the Employees benefit commencement date precedes age 62 by more than 7 complete
years. If such benefit shall commence to be paid between the ages of 55 and 62 such benefit shall
be reduced by 4% for each complete year by which the date of benefit commencement precedes the
Employees attainment of age 65. c. Absence of Other Benefits. No benefits shall be paid to the Employee pursuant to
this Agreement other than as provided above. 2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF BENEFIT. The annual lifetime benefit calculated in
accordance with Section 1 hereof shall be paid in monthly installments on the first day of each
month. Such installments shall commence to be paid on the first such day which coincides with or
follows the day upon which the Employees benefit under the Retirement Plan shall commence to be
paid. The normal form in which the benefit hereunder shall be paid is, if the Employee is unmarried,
an annuity for the life of the Employee only and, if the Employee is married, an annuity for the
life of the Employee with the provision that after the Employees death, 50% of the annual benefit
that was payable to the Employee shall be continued to the Employees surviving spouse for life (a
Joint and Survivor Annuity). The benefit payable as a Joint and Survivor Annuity shall be
calculated by applying to the benefit calculated in accordance with Section 1.a. or 1.b. hereof, as
appropriate, the factors for the 50% contingent annuity option set forth in the Retirement Plan. Monthly installments of benefits shall cease to be paid as of the first day of the month -6-




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following the date of the Employees death, unless a Joint and Survivor Annuity was then in
effect, in which event the installments shall cease as of the first day of the month following the
death of the Employees surviving spouse. 3. LIMITATION OF BENEFIT. If the Employees employment shall be terminated for cause
involving fraud, dishonesty, moral turpitude, gross misconduct, gross failure to perform his/her
duties, or disclosure of secret or other confidential information of the Employer to any competitor
or to any person not authorized to receive such information, neither the Employee, his/her spouse
nor his/her estate shall be entitled to receive any benefit under this Agreement. 4. ABSENCE OF FUNDING. Benefits payable pursuant to this Agreement shall not be
funded, and the Employer shall not be required to segregate or earmark any of its assets for the
benefit of the Employee, his spouse or his estate. Such benefits shall not be subject in any manner
to anticipation, alienation, transfer or assignment by the Employee, his spouse or his estate, and
any attempt to anticipate, alienate, transfer or assign these benefits shall be void. The Employee,
his spouse or his estate shall have only a contractual right against the Employer for the benefits
hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in order to pay benefits pursuant to this Agreement, the
Employer may establish a grantor trust (hereinafter the Trust) within the meaning of Section 671
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Some or all of the assets of the Trust may be
dedicated to providing benefits to the Employee, his spouse or his estate pursuant to this
Agreement, but, nevertheless, all assets of the Trust shall at all times remain subject to the
claims of the Employers general creditors in the event of the Employers bankruptcy or insolvency. 5. MISCELLANEOUS. a. This Agreement may be amended at any time by mutual written agreement of the parties
hereto, but no amendment shall operate to give the Employee, his spouse or his estate, either
directly or indirectly, any interest whatsoever in any funds or assets of the Employer, except the
right to receive the payments herein provided and the right to receive such payments from assets
held in the Trust. b. This Agreement shall not supersede any other contract of employment, whether oral or in
writing, between the Employer and the Employee, nor shall it affect or impair the rights and
obligations of the Employer and the Employee, respectively, thereunder. Nothing contained herein
shall impose any obligation on the Employer to continue the employment of the -7-




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Employee. c. This Agreement shall be construed in all respects under the laws of the State of
Connecticut. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
Employer and the Employee have executed this Agreement as of the day and year above written. EMPLOYEE
    
    CONNECTICUT WATER COMPANY/s/ Thomas R. Marston
    
    /s/ Marshall T. ChiaraluceThomas R. Marston
    
    Marshall T. ChiaralucePresident, CEO, and Chairman