New Britain herald., 1921-04-09
THE OBSERVER
THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
RANDOM OBSERVATIONS
- ON

New Britain taxpayers should take
into the legislature last week by the
terms of which the Public Utilities
Commission would be authorized to
! establish rates to be charged for water
service when one community buys
such service from another.
Under the arrangement entered
into some years ago, Wolcottville, a
section of the town of Wethersfield,
: is supplied with water by the city of
Hartford. An agitation has been stir
red up in Wolcottville against the rate
charged by Hartford and the protest
ing element proposes to evade the
terms of the agreement with Hartford
/ by having the statutes changed, CIV
/ ing them a chance to set the rate
for water service with the consent
: of the Public Utilities Commission. In
a few words, the buyer insists on es-
tablishing the price. Perhaps the res
idents of this section of Wethersfield
had heard vague rumors of its being
buyers market but it is>not prob
able that the legislature will permit
this high handed measure to go
through.
New Britain has a number of char
ter amendments to be acted upon by
the legislature and one of them would
permit this city to sell water service
to the Kensipgton district of Berlin.
1t is obvious! therefore, that all New
Britain should be vitality interested in
the fate of the Wolcottville measure
which does not refer to that case
specifically but would permit all towns
which are receiving water service
from neiGhboring communities to APP
D,,h &c
sion of charges are considered high.
Should the New Britain amend
ments be adopted and this city be
allowed to furnish water to Kensing-
ton it would be possible forKensington
to refuse 20 pay the rates. set by New
Britain and appeal to the commission
for relief and new rates. This, of
course, if the scheme of-the Wethers-
field kickers succeeds in jimmying its
way through the Assembly.
There is an element of danger in the
situation and every prccaution should
be taken to prevent New Britain from
engaging in an ''entangling alliance"
which would not be to it's advantage.
1t is not intimated that the good folks
down in Kensington would even give
thought TO any desire to escape n Hir
legitimate debts but there are her
generations coming who won l3t
appreciate what blessing muu .ipal
water service is and who might rebel
against what they think is intolera-
BILE charges.
There should not be any Interrupt
ton of the program to supply water
to Kensington, but an ironclad, nom
leak contract should be drawn up that
would fully protect New Britain for
future years. 1t should be specified
in the contract that the agreement is
to be terminated automatically when
it becomes known to New Britain
public officials that Kensington has
taken any official step to alter the
terms of the contract without the
sanction of New Britain.
Provision should also be made to
allow the supply to kSnsington to be
shut off when it appears to the New
britain water commissioners that
there is n danger OF a water famine
here. AS New Britain people have
contributed exclusively to the cost
of csta blishing and maintaining a
public water distribution SYSTEM they
should always have the preference
in case of a famine or similar situa-
ton that cannot be nm. cipated.
The writer f.; CO.. lent that the
householders of kensington will APP
preciate the necessity of New Brit
ain protecting itself and will take no
step detrimental to their own interests
which are to be served through the
use of the New Britain. water supply.
Another proposed measure of i'm
portarce to New Britain is the bin
to demand the publication of indus