AG ​Tong urged regulators to reconsider their draft decision and to reject the sale of Aquarion Company to a new non-profit entity expected to double household water bills, gut consumer protections and end public oversight over water rates.

“The record in this case has not changed since the matter was remanded back to PURA. Yet, for reasons that are unclear, PURA has retreated from its initial decision – now approving the very same application that recently rejected for lack of managerial suitability in a manner consistent with the public interest – to the profound detriment of every Aquarion customer for years to come. To be clear, nothing in the court’s decision requires this reversal. The court squarely held that PURA maintains full authority to evaluate public interest and aspects of managerial suitability, and either of these reasons alone provides sufficient grounds to reject the Application,” – AG Tong