The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-04-13
MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1881
Not As Black As Painted

The state water conservation commission bill which met such sorry fate at the hands of the judiciary committee last week wasn't as black as painted It did give to the new commission far reaching powers to be sure. but in the opinion of men who are well ac- quainted with the water resources of the state. they are powers that will have to be dele gated to somebody sooner or later The gen. eral public hasn't heard much of the water conservation commission, which is to be re- gretted. If it hadn't been for the report of the state water commission delivered to Gov efnor Trumbull just prior to his leaving off, flee at the beginning of the year we might have overlooked the survey or Conneeticuts water resources.
 Two years ago members of the state water commission appeared before the legislature and requested that an appropriation be made to survey the water resources of the state. The commission, however. asked that this work be entrusted to some other body than itself owing to the pressure of work at the time The legislature disrcgardcd this last bit of advice and appropriated $l0.000 for the state water commission to make the survey. Perhaps we might explain for the benefit of some at this point that the state water com mission was created to curb pollution of all waters. That 1t is succeeding admirably in its tasks is amply testified to from time to time.
 The state water commission went to work 10 classify ali available data on our existing water supplies. to do as much field work as the small appropriation would permit etc. It could not hope to send 100 or more skilled enU nuf fhp cfa afo pOuinncd n figures on Conneeticut's water resources such as other states have done and are continuing to do It merely eontented itself with dis covering that if the industrial welfare of this state is to be preserved for all time there must be some check our water supplies a con- srvation board, in short. In drafting an act creating such commission and outlining its duties and rights the state water commission was inspired merely by the thought that the development of the state was at stake
 We must remember. therefore that the recent bill. heard so unfavorably before the judiciary committee. expresses merely the state water commissions idea on how to conserve our existing water resources. All of us should be aware of the fact that muncipali- ties are finding it harder every day to secure an adequate supply of potable water. Hartford now proposes to dam valley, thus Wipin2 out parts of several towns. The proposed conservation commission would act for the people in this matter. That is just one in- stance where the rights of the people would be ably defended. But we don't intimate that the bill in its entirety is agreeable. There are doubtless many parts conveying too great power to the commission
 But we mustn't lose sight of the fact that unless our water resources are classified and rated and some check put upon their seizure by private corporations and municipalities some of us will be drinking common ordinary river water. And until our streams are com pletely cleaned up none of us would care to do that. Stream pollution is an evil. but so is usurpation of water rights. Eventually we believe that state water conservation com mission. similar to that suggested this year, will be named with almost if not the same far-reaehng powers.