Norwich Public Utilities - Community Relations

Community Matters Newsletter | Wastewater Treatment Project
Watch the Fish "Lift" | Safety Programs | Environmental Programs

Norwich Public Utilities offers a wide variety of safety focused and environmentally focused educational programs.

Whenever possible, we are more than happy to customize a tour or create a new tour to meet special needs or curriculum requirements. As a for-service utility provider, NPU offers unique educational opportunities not available anywhere else!

For more information, or to schedule a tour, contact Jeanne Kurasz at 860 823-4182, or by email at jeannekurasz@npumail.com

Community Matters Newsletter

Norwich Public Utilities publishes a bulletin called Community Matters. As a customer, you will receive this bulletin with your bill from time-to-time. It includes important information about energy including how to conserve energy. Visit the Community Matters page for the current and back issues.

Community Wastewater Treatment Project

Click here to learn about proposed changes to the Norwich wastewater infrastructure...

Safety Focused Programs

Electric Safety Demonstration
Using a Hazard Hamlet model, a NPU lineman reviews the hazards associated with using electricity in an unsafe manner. Some of the safety gear and specialty tools used by linemen to work around electricity is also demonstrated. The goal of this demonstration is to teach children that electricity should never be taken for granted or misused.

McGruff Truck© Program
McGruff the Crime Dog© visits all Norwich elementary schools to teach the children about a special safety program involving Norwich Public Utilities. McGruff© and his utility assistant teach the children the special “McGruff” wave they can use to flag down a NPU utility truck if they need help. Our driver will stop and call 9-1-1 to get help for the child. NPU crews are trained to recognize the special wave and to stay with the child until help arrives. The Norwich Police Department partners with NPU on this program. Designed to be an “extra set of eyes helping to protect our children,” this program was created by the National Crime Prevention Council, this program is only available to municipal utilities.

Substation Tour
Tours of the 10th Street substation are designed to not only explain how electricity travels over wires, but also to educate children about the dangers associated with trespassing in electric substations. NPU linemen also demonstrate the specialized equipment they need to work safely around electricity.

Also included is a visit to a hydroelectric generation facility and a discussion on how Norwich benefits from the generation of renewable energy.

Environmentally Focused Programs

Norwich Clean Cities Program
Norwich participates in the Clean Cities Program. Its mission is to advance the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local decisions to adopt practices that contribute to the reduction of petroleum consumption. For more information, click here.

Water Treatment Plant Tour
Located in Lebanon, the Deep River Reservoir and Water Treatment Plant tour is a great compliment to the water cycle and water conservation curriculum. The tour takes students from the start of the process - the water source -- and travels through the entire water treatment process. The final result is clean and safe drinking water for the City of Norwich.

Forestry Tour
Voted “Tree Farm of the Year” in 2000, the land surrounding the Deep River Reservoir is abundant with a variety of trees and wildlife. Students interested in forestry learn about the steps NPU takes to harvest and replace trees to ensure the natural habitat surrounding the reservoir remains pristine and protected.

Fish Lift/Hydro Tour
Always popular, the fish lift, located on the picturesque Greeneville Dam, is used to transport native species of fish over the dam to travel upstream. Operated during the spring and fall, fish are “lifted” in a special basket and released into an upstream channel. Visitors can watch the fish swim past the viewing window. This tour is combined with the 10th Street substation tour, which includes seeing a hydroelectric generation facility and a discussion around how Norwich benefits from the generation of renewable energy.

Energy Efficiency Presentation
Using visual aids, NPU’s energy efficiency expert will discuss the importance of energy efficiency for future generations and discuss simple steps everyone can take to conserve energy at home and at school.

National Theater for Children Performance
Sponsored by NPU, once a year a troupe from the National Theater for Children visit the Norwich elementary schools for a fun and educational performance about energy efficiency and water conservation.

Tilly--NPU's Goodwill Ambassador
Equally enjoyed by the young and not-so-young alike, Tilly always makes new friends where ever he goes. He loves to tell stories and brag about the type of work his big brothers -- the bucket trucks, service vans, and dump trucks do at NPU!

Be sure to visit Norwich Now, the official web site of the City of Norwich.