Norwich — U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney was in Norwich on Tuesday to review Norwich Public Utilities' list of "shovel-ready" projects that could be funded by a recently passed federal infrastructure bill.

The $1 trillion infrastructure deal was signed by President Joe Biden more than a week ago.

NPU spokesman Chris Riley said Courtney discussed available funding for clean water projects, replacing lead pipe service lines for water and upgrades to dams, "all of which align with our priorities," Riley said. NPU gave a tour of its wastewater treatment plant, "which is at the top of our list, and is scheduled to go out to bid in the early part of 2022, with the anticipated construction getting underway by next summer," Riley said.

"We also highlighted for the congressman our commitment to 'human infrastructure' and provided a summary of the support we've provided to our customers who have had difficulty in paying their bills as a result of the pandemic," Riley continued. He outlined more than $750,000 "in support facilitated by the Thames Valley Council for Community Action," more than $150,000 through the state's rental assistance UniteCT program and $110,000 through the Community Development Block Grant program.

In addition, NPU's Special Payment Arrangement Program, "which allows eligible customers to pay a portion of their past due utility bills penalty and interest-free over 20 months," Riley said. "This program has helped more than 1,200 residential and commercial customers with collective balances of more than $1.4 million."

A handout from Tuesday's meeting lists 12 NPU priorities, including the Groton/Norwich Water Interconnect, a joint project with Groton Public Utilities that connects the Groton and Norwich water systems at the Preston/Ledyard border and is expected to cost about $1.5 million, replacing all lead and copper water services, projected to be $6 million, and upgrading the NPU electrical system, which would connect the three NPU substations and cost about $10 million, among other projects.

s.spinella@theday.com