Press Release
For Immediate Release
July 1, 2026
Contact:
Jennifer Rose
Press Secretary, Office of Mayor Paul K.
Pernerewski, Jr.
Email: Jrose@waterburyct.org
City of Waterbury Awarded $339,000 DEEP Grant for Risdon Dam
Removal Project
The City of Waterbury is pleased to announce it has been
awarded a $339,000 Long Island Sound
Ecosystems Grant from the Connecticut Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection (DEEP) to support the Risdon Dam Removal Project on
South Main Street.
The grant will fund the environmental investigation,
engineering design, and permitting required for the removal of the aging Risdon
Dam, an abandoned industrial dam located behind the former factory at 2100
South Main Street.
Removal of the dam will restore the natural flow of
Hopeville Pond Brook, a tributary of the Naugatuck River within the Long Island
Sound watershed. The project is expected to improve aquatic habitat, reconnect
stream corridors, reduce flood risk, and eliminate a deteriorating structure
that poses potential safety concerns for nearby properties and infrastructure.
The planning, design, and permitting phase is expected
to take approximately one year before the project is ready to move to
construction bidding.
"This grant represents another important investment
in Waterbury's infrastructure and environmental stewardship," said Mayor
Paul K. Pernerewski, Jr. "Removing the Risdon Dam will improve the health
of Hopeville Pond Brook, reduce flood risks, and help restore a more resilient
ecosystem for future generations. We appreciate DEEP's partnership and support
in helping us move this important project forward."
"Through the DEEP Ecosystems Grant Program, the
Risdon Pond Dam Removal Project represents an important investment in the
health and resilience of our waterways and the Long Island Sound
watershed," said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. "Supporting the
planning, engineering, and design needed to move this project toward
construction will help advance future improvements to stream connectivity,
aquatic habitat, and flood resilience."
Funding for the project is provided through the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's Long Island Sound Partnership National
Estuary Program under a grant awarded to DEEP.
For additional information about the project, please contact the City of
Waterbury Engineering Department at (203) 574-6851.
Link to Risdon Pond Dam Photos
Link to Dam Site Map