Metropolitan District Commission of Connecticut
| Company type | Nonprofit public municipal corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Water supply and sewage services |
| Founded | 1929 |
| Headquarters | Hartford , United States |
Area served | Hartford region, Connecticut |
Key people | Donald Currey (Chairman), Henry Martin (Chief of Police) |
| Products | Drinking water, sewage services |
The Metropolitan District Commission of Connecticut (MDC) is a nonprofit public municipal corporation created by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1929 to deliver drinking water and sewage services to the Hartford region. Originally, it connected the water systems of Hartford, Bloomfield, Newington, Wethersfield, and Windsor, before expanding to include West Hartford, Rocky Hill, and East Hartford. By 2023, MDC provides service to close to 500,000 individuals across its eight member municipalities as well as portions of East Granby, Farmington, Glastonbury, Windsor Locks, South Windsor, and Portland. Governance is managed by a 29-member board: 17 appointed by member towns, eight selected by the governor, and four designated by legislative leaders. Donald Currey serves as the current Chairman, succeeding former chairman William A. DiBella.
History
MDC assumed control of the Nepaug Reservoir in 1929—a reservoir holding 9.5 billion gallons that spans sections of New Hartford, Canton, and Burlington—along with six smaller reservoirs located in West Hartford.
Prior to its formal establishment, MDC began purchasing land in 1924 for the Barkhamsted Reservoir situated on the East Branch of the Farmington River within Barkhamsted and Hartland. Under Chairman Charles Goodwin’s leadership in 1932, land acquisitions slowed due to the Great Depression’s adverse effects on bond financing. By 1940, clearing of land and resident relocations were finished; flooding commenced that autumn and took eight years to fill the reservoir fully by 1948.
The commission completed its inaugural wastewater treatment plant on the Connecticut River in Hartford's South Meadows area in 1938. Subsequent treatment facilities were constructed in Rocky Hill and East Hartford to accommodate population growth following World War II. During this era, Goodwin Dam was erected on the West Branch of the Farmington River (Hogback Reservoir).
In 2017, MDC initiated The South Hartford Conveyance and Storage Tunnel project—the largest undertaking in its history. This tunnel measures 18 feet in diameter and stretches four miles at depths exceeding 200 feet to transport stormwater during intense rainfall events. It forms a critical component of a comprehensive sewer-stormwater separation program designed to enhance water quality in Wethersfield Cove, the Connecticut River, and Long Island Sound. The total investment for this project surpasses $500 million.
Reservoirs
The Barkhamsted Reservoir was commissioned in 1940 following completion of the Saville Dam on the East Branch of the Farmington River. With a construction cost of $10 million, it stands as Connecticut’s largest reservoir and the principal impoundment within the Farmington River system. Its watershed covers 54 acres across Barkhamsted and Hartland and extends into western Massachusetts. Holding a capacity of 30.3 billion gallons, it provides approximately 75% of Greater Hartford’s potable water supply. Water is transported via gravity-fed pipelines to filtration plants located in West Hartford and Bloomfield.
The West Hartford Reservoir system consists of five reservoirs along with multiple ponds and water tanks situated within West Hartford. This area also contains a historically significant Revolutionary War campsite on Metropolitan District Commission property near Reservoir #6.
Additional vital water sources include the Nepaug Reservoir, Lake McDonough, and Hogback Reservoir—all essential components of the regional water supply network.
Headquarters
Situated at the intersection of Main and Wells streets in Downtown Hartford, the MDC headquarters was built in the late 1970s and encompasses around 60,000 square feet. Its brutalist architectural style is consistent with the design of adjacent structures.
Metropolitan District Commission Police
The MDC operates its own police department to enforce rules and protect its operations, functioning under the supervision of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Henry Martin currently serves as Chief of Police. Officers patrol both visibly in uniform and covertly in plain clothes, providing security for MDC’s central offices and field locations.
Niagara Bottling Plant
Between 2015 and 2016, MDC encountered backlash after granting Niagara Bottling in Bloomfield a bulk water discount without engaging the public beforehand. Neither MDC nor Bloomfield’s Town Council issued public announcements prior to finalizing this deal.
In response to the criticism, the MDC Board voted in 2016 to revoke the discount to rebuild public confidence and address legislative issues. Following this, PURA regulators recommended increased transparency measures and external audits to complement MDC’s internal oversight.
Chairman DiBella
In 2008, SEC authorities mandated that MDC Chairman William A. DiBella pay $795,000 in restitution due to his role in an investment scheme involving former State Treasurer Paul J. Silvester and Thayer Capital Partners. DiBella and his associates received payments from Thayer in exchange for steering Connecticut State Retirement and Trust Fund investments toward Thayer’s firm.
During this time, DiBella held the position of MDC Chairman and faced widespread calls for his resignation. The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations placed him on their “Hall of Shame” citing unethical behavior. MDC Commissioner Mark Pappa commented that such conduct would disqualify DiBella from leadership roles within publicly traded companies.
In August 2022, an investigation was launched into $80,000 worth of legal fees charged by James Sandler of Sandler & Mara PC. Sandler’s contract had been terminated in 2021 due to concerns over billing practices. Because of a conflict of interest, DiBella recused himself from the inquiry; however, most meetings billed included him as a participant despite commissioners not recalling these gatherings. An independent review concluded that DiBella exceeded his authority by continuing Sandler’s engagement beyond the agreed contract without involving internal counsel, exposing deficiencies in MDC’s legal contracting procedures.
The controversy—marked by delayed inquiry and limited cooperation from DiBella—led a State Legislative committee to conduct hearings examining MDC’s charter and audit protocols.
Discrimination lawsuits
In 2002, MDC resolved discrimination lawsuits filed by female and minority employees with a $1.5 million settlement. At that time, Chairman William A. DiBella stated the payment aimed to promptly conclude the matter. In 2000, a jury awarded Sharon Harper $4.6 million after determining that MDC officials had defamed her with sexual allegations, which were especially harmful given her conservative reputation. This represented the third discrimination ruling against MDC within eight years. Despite serving diverse populations, senior management at MDC was described by the Hartford Courant in 2002 as “predominantly white.”
In 2016, MDC settled Lebert Thomas v. The Metropolitan District for $350,000 concerning claims of racial discrimination; the agreement included a confidentiality provision.
Board of Commissioners
As of September 21, 2021, the Metropolitan District Commission's Board of Commissioners consisted of the following members:
- Andrew Adil
- John Avedisian
- Clifford Avery Buell
- Rick Bush
- Donald M. Currey
- Mary Anne Charron
- William A. DiBella (Chairman)
- David Drake
- Peter Gardow
- James Healy
- Allen Hoffman
- Christian Hoheb
- Georgiana Holloway
- David Ionno
- Shubhada Kambli
- Mary LaChance
- Gary LeBeau
- Byron Lester
- Diane Lewis
- Maureen Magnan (Vice Chairwoman)
- Jackie Gorsky Mandyke
- Michael Maniscalco
- Alphonse Marotta
- Domenic M. Pane
- Bhupen Patel
- Jon Petoskey
- Pasquale J. Salemi
- Raymond Sweezy
- Alvin Taylor
- Michael Torres
- Richard W. Vicino
- James Woulfe