) ▁is ▁a ▁public ▁water ▁supply ▁utility ▁in ▁Connecticut , ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁R WA ▁supplies ▁water ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 5 - town ▁region ▁with ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁about ▁ 4 3 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁R WA ▁acts ▁as ▁a ▁ste ward ▁of ▁the ▁environment ▁in ▁the ▁local ▁region ▁by ▁protect ing ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 7 , 0 0 0 ▁acres ▁of ▁waters hed ▁lands , ▁and ▁prom oting ▁sust ain ability . ▁ ▁The ▁South ▁Central ▁Connecticut ▁Regional ▁Water ▁Author ity ▁is ▁a ▁non - pro fit ▁public ▁corpor ation ▁and ▁political ▁sub div ision ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Connecticut , ▁but ▁its ▁core ▁business ▁was ▁originally ▁established ▁and ▁operated ▁as ▁the ▁New ▁H aven ▁Water ▁Company , ▁a ▁private ▁business . ▁ ▁The ▁R WA ▁produces ▁on ▁average ▁ 5 5 ▁million ▁gall ons ▁of ▁water ▁daily . ▁One ▁of ▁its ▁condu its ▁is ▁the ▁Gen ese e ▁T unnel . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁South ▁Central ▁Connecticut ▁Regional ▁Water ▁Author ity ▁was ▁originally ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 9 ▁as ▁the ▁New ▁H aven ▁Water ▁Company . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁company ' s ▁found ers ▁was ▁Eli ▁Whit ney ▁II . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 9 , ▁Whit ney ▁began ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁dam ▁that ▁imp ounded ▁the ▁Mill ▁River ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁res er voir , ▁which ▁is ▁now ▁named ▁Lake ▁Whit ney . ▁As ▁population ▁and ▁demand ▁for ▁water ▁in ▁the ▁Gre ater ▁New ▁H aven ▁region ▁continued ▁to