Hydrant Snafu Leads to Resignation of Waterbury, CT, Water Chief
Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
(TNS)
WATERBURY — The city’s top water official resigned Wednesday after an investigation into low-pressure fire hydrants uncovered evidence he engaged in misconduct while on the job, a spokesperson for the Waterbury mayor's office said.
Water Department Superintendent Bradley Malay stepped down Wednesday when he was asked about the misconduct during an interview, according to Jennifer Rose, a spokesperson for Waterbury Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski Jr.
Rose did not describe the exact nature of the misconduct or whether the wrongdoing was connected to the water flow issues on Bennett Avenue earlier this month that delayed firefighters from extinguishing a house fire.
“The investigation relating to water flow issues remains active and ongoing,” Rose said.
Rose said the city now is working to fill the superintendent position and is scheduling interviews with eligible candidates. She said Assistant Water Superintendent Chris Savage will oversee day-to-day operations in the meantime with the help of a water distribution consultant.
The development comes about two weeks after Pernerewski directed Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo to investigate the circumstances surrounding the insufficient water flow from hydrants at the scene of the fire.
At the time, Pernerewski said the probe would examine what inspection and maintenance protocols should have been in place, what actions were taken, and how the city’s practices compare with federal, state, and local requirements.
Spagnolo has said he assembled an investigative team to review testing records and other data to identify any negligence or other reasons hydrant flow testing was not done on a regular basis.
Pernerewski also had instructed Fire Chief Javier Lopez and Malay to work together to develop a citywide plan to immediately assess all fire hydrants and outline steps to fix any issues with underperforming hydrants.
Pernerewski previously said the issue with the hydrants on Bennett Avenue likely was caused by a buildup of material in the six-inch water main there. He said water came out of the hydrants, but not with enough pressure.
The mayor also said the issue was not related to the catastrophic water main break in December that cut off access to running water for thousands of residents, but it is connected to the age of the water delivery infrastructure.
In the aftermath of the fire, Malay told reporters the hydrants had not been flow tested in more than a decade.
This story includes previous reporting from Staff Writer Mary Ellen Godin.
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