Logo for: Town of Wallingford

General Information

Water and Sewer Divisions
Business Office: 203.949.2660
Water Quality: 203.949.2666
Water Conservation: 203.949.2672

The Town of Wallingford is comprised of approximately 39 square miles of land located in New Haven County in the south central section of Connecticut. With a population of approximately 41,000, the Town of Wallingford is the twenty-third most populous community of Connecticut's one hundred sixty-nine cities and towns. The Town was settled in 1638 and incorporated in 1670 and was comprised of separate Borough and Town governments from 1853 until it was consolidated under a single Town government in 1958. It is bounded on the north by the City of Meriden; on the south by the Towns of Hamden, North Haven, and North Branford; on the east by the Towns of Durham and Middlefield; and on the west by the Town of Cheshire. Situated in the Hartford-New Haven corridor, Wallingford is traversed by U.S. Highway 5, Interstate 91, State Highways No. 15 (Wilbur Cross Parkway), No. 68, No. 71, and No. 150.

Wallingford has a Mayor-Council form of government adopted by a Charter effective January 1, 1962 and amended November 4, 1969, November 6, 1973, November 3, 1981 and November 7, 1989. The Town Council consists of nine members with minority representation guaranteed. Elections for the Mayor, Council and other Town elected officials are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November of each odd number year for term of two years including the nine members of the Board of Education who are elected for terms of two years.

The Mayor, in accordance with the Town Charter, Chapter V, is the Chief Executive Officer of the Town. He is directly responsible for the administration of all departments, agencies, and offices; ensures all laws and ordinances governing the Town are faithfully executed; attends all Council meetings; makes reports to the Council; recommends to the Council such measures he deems necessary; submits the annual budget to the Council, keeps the Council fully advised as to the financial condition of the Town; and exercises other powers and duties as may be required by ordinance or resolution of the Council.

Organizational Structure

The Wallingford Water Division of the Department of Public Utilities is a self supporting municipal entity. The Charter of the Town of Wallingford, adopted June 6, 1961 and amended through November 7, 1989, enumerates the structure of the Department as follows:

The Electric Division, the Water Division, and the Sewer Division of the Town all operate under the jurisdiction of a Board of Public Utilities Commissioners, consisting of three resident electors of the Town, no more than two of whom may be members of the same political party. The Board of Public Utilities Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Town Council. The term of office for each commissioner is three years, with the term of office beginning on March 1st of the year of his or her appointment. Each commissioner holds office until his or her successor has been appointed and qualified. The Board may, in the operation of the Department of Public Utilities, enter into leases, contracts, and agreements, provided the term of such leases, contracts, and agreements is limited to not more than ten years. The Town Council oversees the actions of the Board of Public Utilities Commissioners and may veto any action of the Board.

Regular meetings of the Public Utilities Commission are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at the office of the Electric Division located at 100 John Street.