Connecticut lawmaker emphasizes collaboration in river sewage overflow issue

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – A Connecticut state lawmaker has joined the discussion on the ongoing sewage overflow issue in the Connecticut River, highlighting the need for collaborative solutions.

Democratic State Representative John Santanella has spoken out against claims made by Republican Representative Tami Zawistowski, who previously accused Massachusetts cities and towns of contributing to sewage overflow in the Connecticut River.

“It’s hard for us, in Connecticut, to legitimately point our finger to our friends to the north,” said Representative Santanella. “Connecticut dumps the same amount of sewage into the river on a regular basis.”

Representative Santanella emphasized that the sewage overflow problem is not new and affects both Connecticut and Massachusetts. “I am a lifelong resident of the town of Enfield. It is a well-known fact that during significant rain events and at other times, the river becomes unsafe for swimming, bathing,” he stated.

Santanella acknowledged that addressing the sewage overflow issue will require significant time and financial investment but stressed its necessity. The city of Holyoke has also reported progress in managing its sewage overflows.

Santanella expressed willingness to collaborate with other legislators to find investment solutions, echoing recent sentiments from Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia, who also called for cooperative efforts to tackle the problem.

As discussions continue, the focus remains on finding effective and collaborative solutions to the longstanding sewage overflow issue affecting the Connecticut River.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WWLP. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WWLP staff before being published.