Hartford is the capital of Connecticut and one of the older cities in America, incorporated in 1784. Its housing stock reflects that age — much of Hartford was built in the 19th and early 20th centuries, during the era when lead was the material of choice for water service lines, plumbing fixtures, and pipe solder.
The city’s source water is genuinely good. What happens between the source and the tap is the more pressing story.
MDC Reservoir System: Protected Upland Sources
Hartford’s water is supplied by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), which serves the Hartford metro area including West Hartford, East Hartford, and surrounding towns. The MDC system draws from a network of upland reservoirs in the Talcott Mountain area — Barkhamsted Reservoir, Compensating Reservoir, and smaller storage reservoirs fed by tributaries of the Farmington River.
Barkhamsted Reservoir is the primary source — a 26 billion gallon reservoir in Barkhamsted and New Hartford, about 35 miles northwest of Hartford. The watershed is heavily forested, with MDC owning over 26,000 acres surrounding the reservoir to protect water quality. Development in the watershed is severely restricted.
This protected upland system produces water with naturally low turbidity, low hardness, and minimal agricultural contamination. Treatment is relatively straightforward — the MDC operates a conventional treatment plant at Farmington that handles coagulation, filtration, and disinfection before distribution.
Connecticut River water is a backup source — the MDC maintains intakes on the Connecticut River but relies on them primarily during drought conditions when reservoir levels drop. The Connecticut River has improved substantially since the Clean Water Act era but still carries more contamination than the protected upland reservoirs.
Lead: Hartford’s Primary Challenge
Hartford’s environmental justice challenges are well-documented. The city has one of the highest poverty rates and oldest housing stocks in Connecticut, and those two factors combine in the worst possible way for lead exposure.
Lead service lines — the pipes connecting street water mains to individual buildings — are widespread in Hartford’s pre-1940 housing. Lead solder on copper plumbing indoors adds additional exposure pathways. The MDC estimates thousands of lead service lines remain across its service territory, with the highest concentration in Hartford’s older neighborhoods.
The MDC treats its water to meet corrosion control requirements under the Lead and Copper Rule, including pH adjustment and orthophosphate addition. Lead levels at the system’s 90th percentile have generally been below the federal action level of 15 ppb.
But Hartford’s children have among the highest blood lead levels of any city in Connecticut, driven largely by lead paint in old housing. The drinking water contribution to total lead exposure is secondary to lead paint in this context — but it’s not zero, particularly for infants whose formula is made with tap water.
Connecticut’s Lead Contamination Control Act provides funding for school water testing and remediation. Hartford schools have been part of this program, and several schools have had fixtures or fountains taken offline due to elevated lead levels.
Industrial Legacy and Brownfields
Hartford’s industrial history — insurance, firearms manufacturing (Colt’s), precision manufacturing — has left brownfield sites scattered across the city. The Colt complex on Van Dyke Avenue, former ammunition factories, and various metal-working operations have contaminated soil and shallow groundwater at specific locations.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection maintains active cleanup programs for Hartford’s brownfield sites. Most contamination affects the vadose zone and shallow groundwater rather than the MDC’s deep reservoir supply, but remediation is needed before redevelopment can proceed.
Stormwater and Combined Sewer Overflows
Hartford operates a combined sewer system with CSO outfall points into the Connecticut River and Park River. During heavy rain events, the overflow — raw sewage mixed with stormwater — discharges into these waterways.
The Park River, which historically flowed through Hartford but was placed in a tunnel in the 1940s, still receives CSO discharges. The Connecticut River receives overflow from larger outfalls. The MDC’s Long-Term Control Plan commits hundreds of millions in infrastructure to reduce CSO frequency and volume.
What Hartford Residents Can Do
Source water quality is solid. The action items center on lead and older housing:
- Get your water tested — the MDC offers testing resources, and the Connecticut DPH has programs for children in high-risk areas.
- Flush before using — especially first thing in the morning, run the cold tap for 2 minutes before drinking or cooking.
- Filter for lead — NSF 53-certified pitcher or faucet filters are effective and inexpensive.
- Don’t use hot water from the tap for drinking, formula, or cooking — hot water leaches more lead.
- Inquire about lead service line status — contact MDC to check whether your property has a lead service line scheduled for replacement.
If you’re concerned about your water quality, a certified water treatment professional can help you test your water and recommend the right solution for your home.