UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)
x QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED MARCH 31, 2014 or

¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM ___________ TO ___________


Commission File Number: 0-8084
Connecticut Water Service, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Connecticut
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
 
06-0739839
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
 
 
93 West Main Street, Clinton, CT
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
06413
(Zip Code)

(860) 669-8636
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable
(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x          No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (Section 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes x          No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer”, and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer o
 
Accelerated filer x
Non-accelerated filer o
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
 
Smaller reporting company o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes ¨          No x

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date
11,080,435
Number of shares of common stock outstanding, May 1, 2014
(Includes 197,929 common stock equivalent shares awarded under the Performance Stock Programs) 


Table of Contents

CONNECTICUT WATER SERVICE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
Financial Report
March 31, 2014
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part I, Item 1:   Financial Statements (Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Exhibit 31.1
Exhibit 31.2
Exhibit 32
Exhibit 101.INS
Exhibit 101.SCH
Exhibit 101.CAL
Exhibit 101.DEF
Exhibit 101.LAB
Exhibit 101.PRE


Table of Contents

CONNECTICUT WATER SERVICE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Unaudited)
(In thousands, except share data)
ASSETS
 
March 31, 2014
 
December 31, 2013
Utility Plant
 
$
642,703

 
$
639,704

Construction Work in Progress
 
13,947

 
12,066

 
 
656,650

 
651,770

Accumulated Provision for Depreciation
 
(182,947
)
 
(179,894
)
Net Utility Plant
 
473,703

 
471,876

Other Property and Investments
 
7,626

 
7,388

Cash and Cash Equivalents
 
15,275

 
18,371

Accounts Receivable (Less Allowance, 2014 - $1,087; 2013 - $1,127)
 
11,375

 
12,340

Accrued Unbilled Revenues
 
7,083

 
7,624

Materials and Supplies, at Average Cost
 
1,598

 
1,633

Prepayments and Other Current Assets
 
8,460

 
6,928

Total Current Assets
 
43,791

 
46,896

Restricted Cash
 
4,613

 
5,777

Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense
 
6,704

 
6,841

Unrecovered Income Taxes - Regulatory Asset
 
48,757

 
47,135

Pension Benefits - Regulatory Asset
 
2,835

 
3,085

Post-Retirement Benefits Other Than Pension - Regulatory Asset
 
1,361

 
1,288

Goodwill
 
31,685

 
31,685

Deferred Charges and Other Costs
 
8,929

 
8,840

Total Regulatory and Other Long-Term Assets
 
104,884

 
104,651

Total Assets
 
$
630,004

 
$
630,811

CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES
 
 

 
 

Common Stockholders' Equity:
 
 

 
 

Common Stock Without Par Value: Authorized - 25,000,000 Shares
 
 

 
 

     Issued and Outstanding: 2014 - 11,078,336; 2013 - 11,038,232
 
$
139,176

 
$
138,591

Retained Earnings
 
59,519

 
59,277

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
 
(57
)
 
(115
)
Common Stockholders' Equity
 
198,638

 
197,753

Preferred Stock
 
772

 
772

Long-Term Debt
 
174,400

 
175,042

Total Capitalization
 
373,810

 
373,567

Current Portion of Long-Term Debt
 
4,131

 
4,121

Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses
 
6,494

 
10,846

Accrued Interest
 
1,449

 
753

Current Portion of Refund to Customers - Regulatory Liability
 
6,199

 
4,650

Other Current Liabilities
 
2,261

 
2,359

Total Current Liabilities
 
20,534

 
22,729

Advances for Construction
 
28,508

 
28,718

Deferred Federal and State Income Taxes
 
47,714

 
47,470

Unfunded Future Income Taxes
 
48,345

 
46,723

Long-Term Compensation Arrangements
 
21,287

 
20,651

Unamortized Investment Tax Credits
 
1,395

 
1,414

Refund to Customers - Regulatory Liability
 
6,199

 
7,749

Other Long-Term Liabilities
 
1,016

 
1,018

Total Long-Term Liabilities
 
154,464

 
153,743

Contributions in Aid of Construction
 
81,196

 
80,772

Commitments and Contingencies
 

 

Total Capitalization and Liabilities
 
$
630,004

 
$
630,811


The accompanying footnotes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

3

Table of Contents

CONNECTICUT WATER SERVICE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014 and 2013
(Unaudited)
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
 
2014
 
2013
Operating Revenues
$
20,260

 
$
19,729

Operating Expenses
 
 
 
Operation and Maintenance
10,667

 
10,378

Depreciation
2,808

 
2,704

Income Taxes
494

 
1,128

Taxes Other Than Income Taxes
2,387

 
2,160

Total Operating Expenses
16,356

 
16,370

Net Operating Revenues
3,904

 
3,359

Other Utility Income, Net of Taxes
185

 
206

Total Utility Operating Income
4,089

 
3,565

Other Income (Deductions), Net of Taxes
 
 
 
Non-Water Sales Earnings
433

 
386

Allowance for Funds Used During Construction
98

 
54

Other
18

 
(61
)
Total Other Income, Net of Taxes
549

 
379

Interest and Debt Expense
 
 
 
Interest on Long-Term Debt
1,751

 
1,787

Other Interest (Income) Charges, Net
(158
)
 
(543
)
Amortization of Debt Expense and Premium, Net
59

 
87

Total Interest and Debt Expense
1,652

 
1,331

Net Income
2,986

 
2,613

Preferred Stock Dividend Requirement
9

 
9

Net Income Applicable to Common Stock
$
2,977

 
$
2,604

Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding:
 
 
 
Basic
10,869

 
10,803

Diluted
11,061

 
10,965

Earnings Per Common Share:
 
 
 
Basic
$
0.27

 
$
0.24

Diluted
$
0.27

 
$
0.24

Dividends Per Common Share
$
0.2475

 
$
0.2425


The accompanying footnotes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.


4

Table of Contents

CONNECTICUT WATER SERVICE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014 and 2013
(Unaudited)
(In thousands)

 
2014
 
2013
Net Income
$
2,986

 
$
2,613

Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss), net of tax
 

 
 

Reclassification to Pension and Post-Retirement Benefits Other than Pension, net of tax (expense) benefit of $(13) in 2014 and $17 in 2013
61

 
(25
)
Unrealized (loss) gain on investments, net of tax benefit (expense) of $2 in 2014 and $(32) in 2013
(3
)
 
48

Other Comprehensive Income, net of tax
58

 
23

Comprehensive Income
$
3,044

 
$
2,636




The accompanying footnotes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.  

5

Table of Contents

CONNECTICUT WATER SERVICE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF RETAINED EARNINGS
For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014 and 2013
(Unaudited)
(In thousands, except per share amounts)

 
2014
 
2013
Balance at Beginning of Period
$
59,277

 
$
51,804

Net Income
2,986

 
2,613

 
62,263

 
54,417

Dividends Declared:
 

 
 

Cumulative Preferred, Class A, $0.20 per share
3

 
3

Cumulative Preferred, Series $0.90, $0.225 per share
6

 
6

Common Stock - 2014 $0.2475 per share; 2013 $0.2425 per share
2,735

 
2,652

 
2,744

 
2,661

Balance at End of Period
$
59,519

 
$
51,756




The accompanying footnotes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.


6

Table of Contents

CONNECTICUT WATER SERVICE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014 and 2013
(Unaudited)
(In thousands)
 
2014
 
2013
Operating Activities:
 
 
 
Net Income
$
2,986

 
$
2,613

Adjustments to Reconcile Net Income to Net Cash Provided by
 

 
 

Operating Activities:
 

 
 

Deferred Revenues
(47
)
 
60

Provision for Deferred Income Taxes and Investment Tax Credits, Net
226

 
1,504

Allowance for Funds Used During Construction
(98
)
 
(54
)
Depreciation and Amortization (including $291 and $296 in 2014 and 2013 charged to other accounts)
3,099

 
3,000

Change in Assets and Liabilities:
 

 
 

Decrease in Accounts Receivable and Accrued Unbilled Revenues
1,506

 
608

Increase in Prepaid Income Taxes and Prepayments and Other Current Assets
(1,498
)
 
(1,465
)
Decrease in Other Non-Current Items
715

 
4

Decrease in Accounts Payable, Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities
(1,933
)
 
(1,684
)
Total Adjustments
1,970

 
1,973

Net Cash and Cash Equivalents Provided by Operating Activities
4,956

 
4,586

Investing Activities:
 

 
 

Net Additions to Utility Plant Used in Continuing Operations
(6,402
)
 
(5,447
)
Release of Restricted Cash
1,165

 

Net Cash and Cash Equivalents Used in Investing Activities
(5,237
)
 
(5,447
)
Financing Activities:
 

 
 

Proceeds from Interim Bank Loans

 
1,041

Repayment of Interim Bank Loans

 
(1,660
)
Proceeds from the Issuance of Long-Term Debt

 
14,550

Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock
419

 
393

Repayment of Long-Term Debt Including Current Portion
(554
)
 
(14,776
)
Advances from (refunds to) Others for Construction
64

 
(100
)
Cash Dividends Paid
(2,744
)
 
(2,661
)
Net Cash and Cash Equivalents Used in Financing Activities
(2,815
)
 
(3,213
)
Net Decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents
(3,096
)
 
(4,074
)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period
18,371

 
13,150

Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period
$
15,275

 
$
9,076

Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities:
 

 
 

Non-Cash Contributed Utility Plant
$
247

 
$
332

Short-term Investment of Bond Proceeds Held in Restricted Cash
$
4,613

 
$
9,821

Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information:
 

 
 

Cash Paid for:
 

 
 

Interest
$
969

 
$
749

State and Federal Income Taxes
$
75

 
$
1,450


The accompanying footnotes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

7

Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1.
Basis of Preparation of Financials

The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by Connecticut Water Service, Inc. (the “Company”) and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and reflect all adjustments that are of a normal recurring nature which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to a fair statement of the results for interim periods.  The Company’s primary operating subsidiaries are: The Connecticut Water Company (“Connecticut Water”) and The Maine Water Company (“Maine Water”). The Biddeford & Saco Water Company ("BSWC") was merged with and into Maine Water, with Maine Water remaining as the surviving entity, effective January 1, 2014. Certain information and footnote disclosures have been omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although the Company believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading.  The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2013 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements.  It is suggested that these condensed consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 (the "10-K").

Certain reclassifications have been made to the 2013 Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows to conform previously reported data to the current presentation.

The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the year since the consolidated earnings are subject to seasonal factors.

Regulatory Matters

The rates we charge our Connecticut water customers are established under the jurisdiction of and are approved by the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority ("PURA").  It is our policy to seek rate relief as necessary to enable us to achieve an adequate rate of return.  Connecticut Water’s allowed return on equity and return on rate base, effective as of July 14, 2010 are 9.75% and 7.32% , respectively.

On January 25, 2013, Connecticut Water filed a Water Infrastructure Conservation Adjustment ("WICA") application with the PURA requesting an additional 1.08% surcharge to customer bills related to approximately $6.5 million spending on WICA projects. This application also reduced the surcharge by 0.09% for the prior year reconciliation adjustment which expired April 1, 2013.  On January 30, 2013, Connecticut Water filed for a 0.10% reconciliation adjustment for the 2012 shortfall in WICA, to become effective April 1, 2013.  On March 25, 2013, the PURA approved an additional 1.06% surcharge, effective April 1, 2013. Additionally, on March 27, 2013, the PURA approved a 0.10% reconciliation adjustment, effective April 1, 2013. As of April 1, 2013, Connecticut Water's cumulative WICA surcharge was 6.80%.

On July 25, 2013, Connecticut Water filed a WICA application with the PURA requesting an additional 1.09% surcharge to customers' bills, representing approximately $5.6 million in WICA related projects. On September 18, 2013 the PURA approved the 1.09% surcharge with the new rates becoming effective on October 1, 2013. As of October 1, 2013, the cumulative WICA surcharge was 7.89%.

On June 5, 2013, the Connecticut's General Assembly passed Public Act 13-78, "An Act Concerning Water Infrastructure and Conservation, Municipal Reporting Requirements and Unpaid Utility Accounts at Multi-Family Dwellings" ("PA 13-78"), which authorized a Water Revenue Adjustment ("WRA") to reconcile actual water demands with the demands projected in the last general rate case and allows companies to adjust rates as necessary to recover the revenues approved by PURA in the last general rate case. The WRA allows water companies to defer on the balance sheet, as a regulatory asset or liability, for later collection from or crediting to customers the amount by which actual revenues deviate from the revenues allowed in the most recent general rate proceedings, including WICA proceedings. Additionally, PA 13-78 raised the cap for WICA charges to 10%, from 7.5%, between general rate cases and expands the eligible projects to include energy conservation projects, improvements required to comply with streamflow regulations, and improvements to acquired systems.

On June 28, 2013, Connecticut Water entered into a settlement agreement with the Office of the Consumer Counsel of the State of Connecticut and the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Connecticut (the "Settlement Agreement"), whereby Connecticut Water would adjust the water rates charged to its customers effective April 1, 2014 in accordance with the elements of the Settlement Agreement (the "Connecticut Water Rate Reduction Plan"). On July 1, 2013, Connecticut Water submitted an application to the PURA seeking formal approval of the Settlement Agreement.

8

Table of Contents


The Settlement Agreement contemplates that Connecticut Water would adopt regulations issued by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") that allows the Company to adopt an alternative method for determining how expenditures related to tangible property can be treated for federal tax purposes for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2012.  This tax accounting method change treats certain expenditures that the Company historically capitalized for tax purposes, as a deductible repair expense on its tax return.  The adoption of the tax accounting method change allows Connecticut Water to record a favorable “catch up adjustment” on the Company's consolidated 2012 federal tax return which was filed in September 2013. The Company filed for a tax refund of approximately $13.6 million by carrying back the net operating loss generated from this adjustment.

The Settlement Agreement includes, as a result of negotiated compromise of the parties' respective positions, the following key elements related to the Connecticut Water Rate Reduction Plan:

1)    Connecticut Water crediting its water customers with the amount of the catch up adjustment plus the amount by which 2012 federal income taxes are reduced by the repair deduction (the deduction amount filed on the Company's 2012 federal tax return was approximately $45 million) that would be offset in whole or in part by an anticipated rate increase arising from the WRA authorized by the State of Connecticut in Public Act No. 13-78 with any associated net change in rates reflected on Connecticut Water customers' bills as of April 1, 2014;

2)    Resetting Connecticut Water's adjustment under Connecticut's WICA mechanism to zero by integrating the present WICA surcharge of 7.89% into Connecticut Water's base rates; and

3)    Connecticut Water agreeing not to file for a general rate increase (except under extraordinary circumstances outside Connecticut Water's control) for new rates to be effective any sooner than October 1, 2015.

I n the Settlement Agreement, the parties also requested that PURA approve an accounting treatment for Connecticut Water to: 1) allow for the deferral of the tax refund described above and a credit of the tax benefit to customers over a proposed two-year period through a credit on water bills issued which started on April 1, 2014 and 2) as discussed above, use the WRA to defer on the balance sheet as a regulatory asset or liability, for later collection from or crediting to customers of the amount by which actual revenues deviate from the revenues allowed in Connecticut Water's most recent general rate proceedings, including WICA proceedings. The WRA removes the financial disincentive for water utilities to develop and implement effective water conservation programs.

On August 30, 2013, the PURA issued a final decision approving the Settlement Agreement. Connecticut Water began to issue a credit on customers' bills of approximately 8.5% on April 1, 2014, related to the repair deduction. Additionally, Connecticut Water began adding an approximate 4.5% surcharge to customer bills related to the WRA for a net surcredit of approximately 4.0%.

Connecticut Water's allowed revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2014 , as approved by PURA during our 2010 general rate case and including subsequently approved WICA surcharges, are approximately $15.7 million. Through normal billing for the three months ended March 31, 2014 , revenue for Connecticut Water would have been approximately $15.6 million had the WRA not been implemented. As a result of the implementation of the WRA, Connecticut Water recorded approximately $107,000 in additional revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2014 . As of March 31, 2014, the Company has $3.4 million in deferred revenues as a regulatory asset to be recovered from customers found on the "Prepayments and Other Current Assets" and "Deferred Charges and Other Costs" lines on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.

The rates we charge our Maine water customers are established under the jurisdiction of and are approved by the Maine Public Utility Commission ("MPUC"). It is our policy to seek rate relief as necessary to enable us to achieve an adequate rate of return.  Maine Water’s average allowed return on equity and return on rate base, as of March 31, 2014 were 9.50% and 7.96% , respectively.

In April 2013, Maine Water filed for rate increases in three of its divisions, totaling approximately $94,000 in additional revenue, driven primarily by declining consumption and small expense increases. On July 9, 2013, the MPUC approved rate increases totaling $88,000 for these divisions, to be effective July 1, 2013. In June 2013, Maine Water filed for rate increases in three additional divisions, totaling approximately $554,000 in additional revenue, driven primarily by capital expenditures, declining consumption and small expense increases. Two of these cases were approved by the MPUC with additional annual revenue of $90,000 effective November 1, 2013. The remaining case was approved by the MPUC during the first quarter of

9

Table of Contents

2014 and approved an annual increase of $340,000, effective March 25, 2014.

Effective June 2013, a Water Infrastructure Surcharge (“WISC”) is available in Maine that allows for expedited recovery of investment in water system infrastructure replacement, both treatment and distribution. Maine Water's first WISC surcharge has been approved and was effective as of February 1, 2014, representing an annual increase of $6,500. Additionally, the MPUC approved a second WISC filing effective May 1, 2014, granting an annual increase of $113,000.

2.
Pension and Other Post-Retirement Benefits

The following tables set forth the components of pension and other post-retirement benefit costs for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 .

Pension Benefits
Components of Net Periodic Cost (in thousands):
 
Three Months
Period ended March 31,
2014
 
2013
Service Cost
$
488

 
$
587

Interest Cost
763

 
698

Expected Return on Plan Assets
(889
)
 
(808
)
Amortization of:
 

 
 

Prior Service Cost
18

 
18

Net Loss
273

 
538

Net Periodic Benefit Cost
$
653

 
$
1,033


The Company plans to make a contribution to its defined benefit pension plan of $3,426,000 in 2014 for the 2013 plan year, as allowed by the current funding status.

Post-Retirement Benefits Other Than Pension (PBOP)
Components of Net Periodic Cost (in thousands):
 
Three Months
Period ended March 31,
2014
 
2013
Service Cost
$
154

 
$
161

Interest Cost
160

 
125

Expected Return on Plan Assets
(77
)
 
(75
)
Other
56

 
56

Amortization of:
 

 
 

Prior Service Cost
(201
)
 
(201
)
Recognized Net Loss
68

 
97

Net Periodic Benefit Cost
$
160

 
$
163



10

Table of Contents

3.
Earnings per Share

Earnings per weighted average common share are calculated by dividing net income applicable to common stock by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the respective periods as detailed below (diluted shares include the effect of unexercised stock options):

Three months ended March 31,
2014
 
2013
Common Shares Outstanding End of Period:
11,078,336

 
10,982,430

Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (Days Outstanding Basis):
 

 
 

Basic
10,868,784

 
10,803,230

Diluted
11,061,324

 
10,964,794

 
 
 
 
Basic Earnings per Share
$
0.27

 
$
0.24

Dilutive Effect of Unexercised Stock Options

 

Diluted Earnings per Share
$
0.27

 
$
0.24


Total unrecognized compensation expense for all stock awards was approximately $1.9 million as of March 31, 2014 and will be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.4 years .

4.
New Accounting Pronouncements

In July 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2013-11, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carry-forward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carry-forward Exists. This ASU requires an entity to present an unrecognized tax benefit as a reduction of a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carry-forward, or similar tax loss or tax credit carry-forward, rather than as a liability when (1) the uncertain tax position would reduce the Net Operating Loss or other carry-forward under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction and (2) the entity intends to use the deferred tax asset for that purpose. This ASU was effective prospectively for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2013. The adoption of this guidance did not materially impact our consolidated financial position.

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-05, “Service Concession Arrangements.” The ASU clarifies that an operating entity should not account for a services concession arrangement with a public-sector grantor as a lease if: (1) the grantor controls or has the ability to modify or approve the services the operating entity must provide, to whom it must provide them, and at what price and (2) the grantor controls any residual interest in the infrastructure at the end of the arrangement. In addition, the infrastructure used in a service concession arrangement would not be recognized as property, plant and equipment of the operating entity. The ASU is to be applied on a modified retrospective basis to service concession arrangements outstanding upon adoption and will be effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2015. The Company is currently assessing the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures, but does not expect that the adoption of this guidance will materially impact our consolidated financial position.


11

Table of Contents
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

5.
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss) ("AOCI") by component, net of tax, for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 is as follows (in thousands):
Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
 
Interest Rate Swap
 
Unrealized Gains on Investments
 
Defined Benefit Items
 
Total
Beginning Balance (a)
 
$

 
$
259

 
$
(374
)
 
$
(115
)
Other Comprehensive Income Before Reclassification
 

 
(14
)
 

 
(14
)
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
 

 
11

 
61

 
72

Net current-period Other Comprehensive Income
 

 
(3
)
 
61

 
58

Ending Balance
 
$

 
$
256

 
$
(313
)
 
$
(57
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three Months Ended March 31, 2013
 
Interest Rate Swap
 
Unrealized Gains on Investments
 
Defined Benefit Items
 
Total
Beginning Balance (a)
 
$
(41
)
 
$
69

 
$
(1,356
)
 
$
(1,328
)
Other Comprehensive Income Before Reclassification
 

 
37

 

 
37

Amounts Reclassified from AOCI
 

 
11

 
(25
)
 
(14
)
Net current-period Other Comprehensive Income
 

 
48

 
(25
)
 
23

Ending Balance
 
$
(41
)
 
$
117

 
$
(1,381
)
 
$
(1,305
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(a) All amounts shown are net of tax. Amounts in parentheses indicate loss.

The following table sets forth the amounts reclassified from AOCI by component and the affected line item on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 (in thousands):
Details about Other AOCI Components
 
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI Three Months Ended March 31, 2014(a)
 
Amounts Reclassified from AOCI Three Months Ended March 31, 2013(a)
 
Affected Line Items on Income Statement
Realized Gains on Investments
 
$
18

 
$
18

 
Other Income
Tax expense
 
(7
)
 
(7
)
 
Other Income
 
 
11

 
11

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amortization of Recognized Net Gain from Defined Benefit Items
 
74

 
(42
)
 
Other Income (b)
Tax (expense)/benefit
 
(13
)
 
17

 
Other Income
 
 
61

 
(25
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total Reclassifications for the period, net of tax
 
$
72

 
$
(14
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(a) Amounts in parentheses indicate loss/expense.
(b) Included in computation of net periodic pension cost (see Note 2 for additional details).


12

Table of Contents
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

6.
Long-Term Debt

Long-Term Debt at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 consisted of the following (in thousands):
 
2014
 
2013
Connecticut Water Service, Inc.:
 
 
 
4.09%
 
Term Loan Note
$
16,186

 
$
16,420

The Connecticut Water Company:
 
 
 
Var.
 
2004 Series Variable Rate, Due 2029
12,500

 
12,500

Var.
 
2004 Series A, Due 2028
5,000

 
5,000

Var.
 
2004 Series B, Due 2028
4,550

 
4,550

5.10%
 
2009 A Series, Due 2039
19,950

 
19,950

5.00%
 
2011 A Series, Due 2021
23,615

 
23,602

3.16%
 
CoBank Note Payable, Due 2020
8,000

 
8,000

3.51%
 
CoBank Note Payable, Due 2022
14,795

 
14,795

4.29%
 
CoBank Note Payable, Due 2028
17,020

 
17,020

4.72%
 
CoBank Note Payable, Due 2032
14,795

 
14,795

4.75%
 
CoBank Note Payable, Due 2033
14,550

 
14,550

Total The Connecticut Water Company
134,775

 
134,762

The Maine Water Company:
 
 
 
8.95%
 
1994 Series G, Due 2024
9,000

 
9,000

2.68%
 
1999 Series J, Due 2019
424

 
474

0.00%
 
2001 Series K, Due 2031
697

 
739

2.58%
 
2002 Series L, Due 2022
83

 
90

1.53%
 
2003 Series M, Due 2023
381

 
401

1.73%
 
2004 Series N, Due 2024
451

 
451

0.00%
 
2004 Series O, Due 2034
133

 
140

1.76%
 
2006 Series P, Due 2026
431

 
451

1.57%
 
2009 Series R, Due 2029
237

 
242

0.00%
 
2009 Series S, Due 2029
695

 
717

0.00%
 
2009 Series T, Due 2029
1,949

 
2,012

0.00%
 
2012 Series U, Due 2042
165

 
171

1.00%
 
2013 Series V, Due 2033
1,385

 
1,410

2.52%
 
CoBank Note Payable, Due 2017
1,965

 
1,965

6.45%
 
BSWC Series M, Due 2014
2,700

 
2,700

7.72%
 
BSWC Series L, Due 2018
2,250

 
2,250

2.40%
 
BSWC Series N, Due 2022
1,251

 
1,297

1.86%
 
BSWC Series O, Due 2025
862

 
862

2.23%
 
BSWC Series P, Due 2028
1,354

 
1,354

Various
 
Various Capital Leases
63

 
70

Total The Maine Water Company
26,476

 
26,796

Add:  Acquisition Fair Value Adjustment
1,094

 
1,185

Less:  Current Portion
(4,131
)
 
(4,121
)
Total Long-Term Debt
$
174,400

 
$
175,042


There are no mandatory sinking fund payments required on Connecticut Water’s outstanding Water Facilities Revenue Bonds.  However, certain fixed rate Unsecured Water Facilities Revenue Refinancing Bonds provide for an estate redemption right whereby the estate of deceased bondholders or surviving joint owners may submit bonds to the Trustee for redemption at par, subject to a $25,000 per individual holder and a 3% annual aggregate limitation.

On March 5, 2013, Connecticut Water and CoBank, ACB ("CoBank") entered into a Promissory Note and Single Advance Term Loan Supplement to an existing Master Loan Agreement (the “Note”) in which CoBank agreed to make an additional

13

Table of Contents
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

Loan to Connecticut Water in an aggregate principal amount of up to $14,550,000, with a maturity date of March 4, 2033. Additionally, the Company entered into an Amendment to the Guarantee dated March 5, 2013 (the “Guarantee Amendment”), pursuant to which the Company agreed to guarantee the payment of certain of Connecticut Water's obligations under the Note pursuant to the same terms of the Guarantee. Connecticut Water used substantially all of the proceeds of the Loans to refinance the 2007 A Series bonds outstanding.

On June 3, 2013, Maine Water completed the issuance of $1,409,888 aggregate principal amount of its First Mortgage Bonds, Series V, 1.0% due April 1, 2033 (the “Bonds”). The Bonds were issued by Maine Water to the Maine Municipal Bond Bank (the “Bank”) and the proceeds of the issuance were loaned (the “Loan”) by the Bank to Maine Water pursuant to a Loan Agreement by and between Maine Water and the Bank dated as of June 3, 2013. The proceeds of the Loan are being used by Maine Water to fund various water facilities projects.

Financial Covenants – The Company and its subsidiaries are required to comply with certain covenants in connection with various long term loan agreements.  The most restrictive of these covenants is to maintain a consolidated debt to capitalization ratio of not more than 60%. Additionally, Maine Water has restrictions on cash dividends paid based on restricted net assets. The Company and its subsidiaries were in compliance with all covenants at March 31, 2014 .

7.
Fair Value Disclosures

FASB Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (“FASB ASC 820”) provides enhanced guidance for using fair value to measure assets and liabilities and expands disclosure with respect to fair value measurements.

FASB ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that distinguishes between assumptions based on market data (observable inputs) and the Company’s assumptions (unobservable inputs).  The hierarchy consists of three broad levels, as follows:

Level 1 – Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 – Inputs other than Level 1 that are either directly or indirectly observable.
Level 3 – Unobservable inputs developed using the Company’s estimates and assumptions, which reflect those that the Company believes market participants would use.

The following table summarizes our financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis within the fair value hierarchy as of March 31, 2014 (in thousands):
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
Total
Asset Type:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Company Owned Life Insurance
$

 
$
2,866

 
$

 
$
2,866

Money Market Fund
80

 

 

 
80

Mutual Funds:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Equity Funds (1)
1,475

 

 

 
1,475

Total
$
1,555

 
$
2,866

 
$

 
$
4,421


The following table summarizes our financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis within the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2013 (in thousands):
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
Total
Asset Type:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Company Owned Life Insurance
$

 
$
2,843

 
$

 
$
2,843

Money Market Fund
62

 

 

 
62

Mutual Funds:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Equity Funds (1)
1,528

 

 

 
1,528

Total
$
1,590

 
$
2,843

 
$

 
$
4,433

(1)
Mutual funds consist primarily of equity securities and are presented on the Other Property and Investments line item of the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.


14

Table of Contents
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

The fair value of Company Owned Life Insurance is based on the cash surrender value of the contracts. These contracts are based principally on a referenced pool of investment funds that actively redeem shares and are observable and measurable and are presented on the Other Property and Investments line item of the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each of the following financial instruments, which are not recorded at fair value on the financial statements.

Cash and cash equivalents – Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid instruments with original maturities at the time of purchase of three months or less.  The carrying amount approximates fair value.  Under the fair value hierarchy the fair value of cash and cash equivalents is classified as a Level 1 measurement.

Restricted Cash – As part of the Connecticut Water’s December 2011 and Maine Water's June 2013 bond offerings, the Company recorded unused proceeds from this bond issuance as restricted cash as the funds can only be used for certain capital expenditures.  The Company expects to use the remainder of the proceeds during 2014, as the approved capital expenditures are completed.  The carrying amount approximates fair value.  Under the fair value hierarchy the fair value of restricted cash is classified as a Level 1 measurement.

Long-Term Debt – The fair value of the Company's fixed rate long-term debt is based upon borrowing rates currently available to the Company.  As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 , the estimated fair value of the Company's long-term debt was $182,449,000 and $178,526,000 , respectively, as compared to the carrying amounts of $174,400,000 and $175,042,000 , respectively. The estimated fair value of long term debt was calculated using a discounted cash flow model that uses comparable interest rates and yield curve data based on the A-rated MMD (Municipal Market Data) Index which is the benchmark of current municipal bond yields. Under the fair value hierarchy, the fair value of long term debt is classified as a Level 2 measurement.

Advances for Construction – Customer advances for construction have a carrying amount of $28,508,000 and $28,718,000 at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 , respectively. Their relative fair values cannot be accurately estimated since future refund payments depend on several variables, including new customer connections, customer consumption levels and future rate increases.

The fair values shown above have been reported to meet the disclosure requirements of FASB ASC 825, “Financial Instruments” (“FASB ASC 825”) and do not purport to represent the amounts at which those obligations would be settled.

8.
Segment Reporting

The Company operates principally in three business segments: Water Activities, Real Estate Transactions, and Services and Rentals. Financial data for the segments is as follows (in thousands):
Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
Segment
 
Revenues
 
Pre-Tax Income
 
Income Tax Expense
 
Net Income
Water Activities
 
$
20,620

 
$
2,918

 
$
365

 
$
2,553

Real Estate Transactions
 

 

 

 

Services and Rentals
 
1,412

 
710

 
277

 
433

Total
 
$
22,032

 
$
3,628

 
$
642

 
$
2,986

Three Months Ended March 31, 2013
Segment
 
Revenues
 
Pre-Tax Income
 
Income Tax Expense
 
Net Income
Water Activities
 
$
20,128

 
$
3,550

 
$
1,323

 
$
2,227

Real Estate Transactions
 

 

 

 

Services and Rentals
 
1,389

 
653

 
267

 
386

Total
 
$
21,517

 
$
4,203

 
$
1,590

 
$
2,613


The revenues shown in Water Activities above consisted of revenues from water customers of $20,260,000 and $19,729,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 , respectively.  Additionally, there were revenues associated with utility plant leased to others of $360,000 and $399,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 , respectively. The revenues

15

Table of Contents
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

from water customers for the three months ended March 31, 2014 include $107,000 in revenues related to the implementation of the WRA. There were no such revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2013.

The Company owns various small, discrete parcels of land that are no longer required for water supply purposes.  From time to time, the Company may sell or donate these parcels, depending on various factors, including the current market for land, the amount of tax benefits received for donations and the Company’s ability to use any benefits received from donations.

Assets by segment (in thousands):
 
March 31,
2014
 
December 31,
2013
Total Plant and Other Investments:
 
 
 
Water Activities
$
480,584

 
$
478,560

Non-Water
745

 
704

 
481,329

 
479,264

Other Assets:
 
 
 
Water Activities
136,225

 
136,246

Non-Water
12,450

 
15,301

 
148,675

 
151,547

Total Assets
$
630,004

 
$
630,811


9.
Income Taxes

FASB ASC 740 Income Taxes (“FASB ASC 740”) addresses the determination of how tax benefits claimed or expected to be claimed on a tax return should be recorded in the financial statements. Under FASB ASC 740, the Company must recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate resolution.

On June 11, 2013, the Company was notified by the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services that its state tax filings for the years 2009 through 2011 would be reviewed beginning in the fourth quarter of 2013. The Company is also aware that certain of its peers have been challenged on certain tax credits associated with fixed capital investment and believes that this may be a focus of the State's review. While the Company firmly believes that all fixed capital investment credits are appropriate and conservatively measured, the Company believes, based on recent activities by taxing authorities, that it is more likely than not that the Company's fixed capital investment credits claimed in prior years may be challenged and ultimately disallowed. Through March 31, 2014, the Company has recorded, as required by FASB ASC 740, a provision of $2.0 million , or 100% of the credits recorded for transmission and distribution projects that would be subject to disallowance.

On the 2012 Federal tax return, filed in September 2013, Connecticut Water filed a change in accounting method to adopt the Internal Revenue Services' temporary tangible property regulations. This method change allowed the Company to take a current year deduction for expenses that were previously capitalized for tax purposes. Since the filing of the 2012 tax return, the IRS has issued final regulations. On February 11, 2014, the Company was notified by the Internal Revenue Service that its Federal tax filing for the 2012 tax year will be reviewed beginning in the first quarter of 2014. While the Company believes that the deduction taken on its tax return is appropriate, the methodology for determining the deduction could be challenged by the taxing authorities. Through March 31, 2014, the Company has recorded, as required by FASB ASC 740, a provision of $2.6 million for a portion of the benefit that is not being returned to customers resulting from any possible tax authority challenge.

From time to time, the Company may be assessed interest and penalties by taxing authorities.  In those cases, the charges would appear on the Other line item within the Other Income (Deductions), Net of Taxes section of the Company's Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.  There were no such charges for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 .  Additionally, there were no accruals relating to interest or penalties as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 .  The Company remains subject to examination by federal authorities for the 2010 through 2012 tax years; and the state authorities for the 2009 through 2012 tax years.


16

Table of Contents

The Company is currently engaged in an analysis to determine the amount of expenditures related to tangible property that will be reflected on its 2014 Federal Tax Return to be filed in September 2015. As a result, through the first quarter of 2014, the Company has estimated the portion of its infrastructure investment that will qualify as a repair deduction for 2014 and has reflected that deduction in its effective tax rate at 75% of the expected $15 million of infrastructure improvement. Consistent with other differences between book and tax expenditures, the Company is required to flow-through any timing differences not required by the Internal Revenue Service to be normalized.

The Company’s effective income tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 was 17.7% and 37.8% , respectively.  The Company's effective tax rate, excluding discrete items booked during the quarter, was 23.3% for the three months ended March 31, 2014 . These discrete items included an adjustment related to the recording in the first quarter of 2014, of a tax benefit associated with the amortization of the fair value of debt in connection with the purchases of Maine Water and BSWC. The statutory income tax rates during each period were 41% .  In determining its annual estimated effective tax rate for interim periods, the Company reflects its estimated permanent and flow-through tax differences for the taxable year, including the basis difference for the adoption of the tangible property regulations in the current year.

10.
Lines of Credit

The Company entered into a $15 million line of credit agreement with CoBank, ACB, that is currently scheduled to expire on July 1, 2015 .  The Company maintains an additional line of credit of $20 million with RBS Citizens, N.A., with an expiration date of June 30, 2015 .  As of March 31, 2014 , the total lines of credit available to the Company was $35.0 million .  The Company did not have any Interim Bank Loans Payable at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 , respectively. As of March 31, 2014 , the Company had $35.0 million in unused lines of credit.  Interest expense charged on lines of credit will fluctuate based on market interest rates.

Part I, Item 2: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the accompanying unaudited financial statements and related notes thereto and the audited financial statements and the notes thereto contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 .

General Information

Regulated Companies

The Connecticut Water Company ("Connecticut Water") and The Maine Water Company ("Maine Water"), the Company's regulated operating subsidiaries, derive their rights and franchises to operate from special state acts that are subject to alteration, amendment or repeal by their respective state legislatures and do not grant us exclusive rights to our service areas. Our franchises are free from burdensome restrictions, are unlimited as to time, and authorize us to sell potable water in all the towns we now serve.  There is the possibility that either the State of Connecticut or the State of Maine could attempt to revoke our franchises and allow a governmental entity to take over some or all of our systems.  While we would vigorously oppose any such attempts, from time to time such legislation is contemplated.

The rates we charge our Connecticut water customers are established under the jurisdiction of and are approved by the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority ("PURA").  It is our policy to seek rate relief as necessary to enable us to achieve an adequate rate of return.  Connecticut Water's allowed return on equity and return on rate base, effective as of July 14, 2010 are 9.75% and 7.32%, respectively.

On January 25, 2013, Connecticut Water filed a Water Infrastructure Conservation Adjustment ("WICA") application with the PURA requesting an additional 1.08% surcharge to customer bills related to approximately $6.5 million spending on WICA projects. This application also reduced the surcharge by 0.09% for the prior year reconciliation adjustment which expired April 1, 2013.  On January 30, 2013, Connecticut Water filed for a 0.10% reconciliation adjustment for the 2012 shortfall in WICA, to become effective April 1, 2013.  On March 25, 2013, the PURA approved an additional 1.06% surcharge, effective April 1, 2013. Additionally, on March 27, 2013, the PURA approved a 0.10% reconciliation adjustment, effective April 1, 2013. As of April 1, 2013, Connecticut Water's cumulative WICA surcharge was 6.80%.

On July 25, 2013, Connecticut Water filed a WICA application with the PURA requesting an additional 1.09% surcharge to customers' bills, representing approximately $5.6 million in WICA related projects. On September 18, 2013 the PURA approved the 1.09% surcharge with the new rates becoming effective on October 1, 2013. As of October 1, 2013, the cumulative WICA surcharge was 7.89%.

17

Table of Contents


On June 5, 2013, the Connecticut's General Assembly passed Public Act 13-78, "An Act Concerning Water Infrastructure and Conservation, Municipal Reporting Requirements and Unpaid Utility Accounts at Multi-Family Dwellings" ("PA 13-78"), which authorized a Water Revenue Adjustment ("WRA") to reconcile actual water demands with the demands projected in the last general rate case and allows companies to adjust rates as necessary to recover the revenues approved by PURA in the last general rate case. The WRA allows water companies to defer on the balance sheet, as a regulatory asset or liability, for later collection from or crediting to customers the amount by which actual revenues deviate from the revenues allowed in the most recent general rate proceedings, including WICA proceedings. Additionally, PA 13-78 raised the cap for WICA charges to 10%, from 7.5%, between general rate cases and expands the eligible projects to include energy conservation projects, improvements required to comply with streamflow regulations, and improvements to acquired systems.

On June 28, 2013, Connecticut Water entered into a settlement agreement with the Office of the Consumer Counsel of the State of Connecticut and the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Connecticut (the "Settlement Agreement"), whereby Connecticut Water would adjust the water rates charged to its customers effective April 1, 2014 in accordance with the elements of the Settlement Agreement (the "Connecticut Water Rate Reduction Plan"). On July 1, 2013, Connecticut Water submitted an application to the PURA seeking formal approval of the Settlement Agreement.

The Settlement Agreement contemplates that Connecticut Water would adopt regulations issued by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") that allows the Company to adopt an alternative method for determining how expenditures related to tangible property can be treated for federal tax purposes for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2012.  This tax accounting method change treats certain expenditures that the Company historically capitalized for tax purposes, as a deductible repair expense on its tax return.  The adoption of the tax accounting method change allows Connecticut Water to record a favorable “catch up adjustment” on the Company's consolidated 2012 federal tax return which was filed in September 2013. The Company filed for a tax refund of approximately $13.6 million by carrying back the net operating loss generated from this adjustment.

The Settlement Agreement includes, as a result of negotiated compromise of the parties' respective positions, the following key elements related to the Connecticut Water Rate Reduction Plan:

1)    Connecticut Water crediting its water customers with the amount of the catch up adjustment plus the amount by which 2012 federal income taxes are reduced by the repair deduction (the deduction amount filed on the Company's 2012 federal tax return was approximately $45 million) that would be offset in whole or in part by an anticipated rate increase arising from the WRA authorized by the State of Connecticut in Public Act No. 13-78 with any associated net change in rates reflected on Connecticut Water customers' bills as of April 1, 2014;

2)    Resetting Connecticut Water's adjustment under Connecticut's WICA mechanism to zero by integrating the present WICA surcharge of 7.89% into Connecticut Water's base rates; and

3)    Connecticut Water agreeing not to file for a general rate increase (except under extraordinary circumstances outside Connecticut Water's control) for new rates to be effective any sooner than October 1, 2015.

I n the Settlement Agreement, the parties also requested that PURA approve an accounting treatment for Connecticut Water to: 1) allow for the deferral of the tax refund described above and a credit of the tax benefit to customers over a proposed two-year period through a credit on water bills issued which started on April 1, 2014 and 2) as discussed above, use the WRA to defer on the balance sheet as a regulatory asset or liability, for later collection from or crediting to customers of the amount by which actual revenues deviate from the revenues allowed in Connecticut Water's most recent general rate proceedings, including WICA proceedings. The WRA removes the financial disincentive for water utilities to develop and implement effective water conservation programs.

On August 30, 2013, the PURA issued a final decision approving the Settlement Agreement. Connecticut Water began to issue a credit on customers' bills of approximately 8.5% on April 1, 2014, related to the repair deduction. Additionally, Connecticut Water began adding an approximate 4.5% surcharge to customer bills related to the WRA for a net surcredit of approximately 4.0%.

Connecticut Water's allowed revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2014 , as approved by PURA during our 2010 general rate case and including subsequently approved WICA surcharges, are approximately $15.7 million. Through normal billing for the three months ended March 31, 2014 , revenue for Connecticut Water would have been approximately $15.6 million had the WRA not been implemented. As a result of the implementation of the WRA, Connecticut Water recorded $0.1

18

Table of Contents

million in additional revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2014 .

The rates we charge our Maine water customers are established under the jurisdiction of and are approved by the Maine Public Utility Commission ("MPUC"). It is our policy to seek rate relief as necessary to enable us to achieve an adequate rate of return.  Maine Water’s average allowed return on equity and return on rate base, as of March 31, 2014 were 9.50% and 7.96% , respectively.

In April 2013, Maine Water filed for rate increases in three of its divisions, totaling approximately $94,000 in additional revenue, driven primarily by declining consumption and small expense increases. On July 9, 2013, the MPUC approved rate increases totaling $88,000 for these divisions, to be effective July 1, 2013. In June 2013, Maine Water filed for rate increases in three additional divisions, totaling approximately $554,000 in additional revenue, driven primarily by capital expenditures, declining consumption and small expense increases. Two of these cases were approved by the MPUC with additional annual revenue of $90,000 effective November 1, 2013. The remaining case, was approved by the MPUC during the first quarter of 2014 and approved an annual increase of $340,000, effective March 25, 2014.

Effective June 2013, a Water Infrastructure Surcharge (“WISC”) is available in Maine that allows for expedited recovery of investment in water system infrastructure replacement, both treatment and distribution. Maine Water's first WISC surcharge has been approved and was effective as of February 1, 2014, representing an annual increase of $6,500. Additionally, the MPUC approved a second WISC filing effective May 1, 2014, granting an annual increase of $113,000.

On September 3, 2013, an application was filed with the MPUC to merge Maine Water and the Biddeford & Saco Water Company ("BSWC"), with Maine Water as the surviving entity. This application was approved by the MPUC and BSWC was merged with and into Maine Water effective January 1, 2014.

UCONN Agreement

Beginning in June 2011, the University of Connecticut (UCONN), in partnership with the Town of Mansfield, initiated a process to identify and implement actions to secure a long-term water solution to meet the water supply needs for UCONN and the Town of Mansfield.  On June 7, 2013, Connecticut Water submitted information to UCONN and the Town on its proposal to bring a reliable supply of water to the UCONN's Storrs campus and to residents of Mansfield.  Connecticut Water's submission for this project was made as part of the Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) process under the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act.

As detailed in its proposal, Connecticut Water proposed to bring up to 2.2 million gallons of water a day with a water main extension of approximately 5 miles from its water system in the Town of Tolland to Mansfield to meet the UCONN campus and the Town of Mansfield's long term water supply needs.  On August 7, 2013, UCONN's Board of Trustees voted to recommend Connecticut Water's proposal.  On September 16, 2013, the State's Office of Policy and Management issued their approval of the Record of Decision of the EIE, allowing UCONN to proceed to implement the water supply solution.

On October 23, 2013, Connecticut Water entered into a non-binding letter of intent with UCONN to provide a long-term supply of potable water for UCONN’s Storrs campus facilities (the Project).  The UCONN Letter of Intent describes the rights and obligations of the parties related to the Project and also sets forth the principal terms and conditions under which the Company will supply water to UCONN for the Project.

The Company and UCONN negotiated a definitive agreement for the Project which was approved by the Board of Trustees at their December 11, 2013 meeting and executed on December 18, 2013. The definitive agreement is consistent with the requirements of the Project’s EIE and record of decision, as approved by the Office of Policy and Management that identified the Company as the preferred option to supply UCONN and the Town of Mansfield, Connecticut with up to 2.2 million gallons of water per day over the next 47 years.  The Company is responsible for obtaining any required regulatory permits, licenses and approvals to implement the water supply solution, including but not limited to those from PURA, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Connecticut Department of Public Health. While there are specific timelines and milestones identified in the agreement that provide for the timely completion of the project, the agreement also recognizes that such completion is dependent upon the receipt of certain regulatory approvals. The Company expects that regulatory approvals will be received by the end of 2014.

On October 29, 2013, Connecticut Water and the Town of Mansfield, Connecticut entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent for Connecticut Water to provide water utility service to the Town.  The Mansfield Letter of Intent provides the framework for necessary contractual agreements for Connecticut Water to serve the Mansfield community.


19

Table of Contents

Connecticut Water and the Town of Mansfield have finalized a definitive written agreement that is consistent with the terms of the Letter of Intent. On January 13, 2014 the Mansfield Town Council voted to authorize the Town Manager to execute the agreement with Connecticut Water and it was signed by the parties on January 21, 2014.

The key provisions of the agreements with UCONN and the Town of Mansfield are as follows:
Connecticut Water will fund a 5-mile pipeline from Tolland and other necessary infrastructure improvements at no cost to UCONN, the Town or the state’s taxpayers to serve the area;
Current off-campus customers of UCONN will become customers of Connecticut Water at UCONN’s water rates in effect at that time (subject to any state-approved surcharges);
Future customers of Connecticut Water in the Town of Mansfield will pay Connecticut Water rates authorized by the PURA;
Connecticut Water will assume responsibility for maintaining, repairing and replacing the off-campus water system serving the Town of Mansfield;
A Water System Advisory Group will be created with representatives of the Town of Mansfield, UCONN, regional representatives and other key stakeholders to advise Connecticut Water regarding water service and the system’s operations, expansion or integration as well as recommended best management practices, including water conservation programs.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

The Company maintains its accounting records in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and as directed by the PURA and the MPUC to which Connecticut Water and Maine Water, respectively, the Company’s regulated water utility subsidiaries, are subject.  Significant accounting policies employed by the Company, including the use of estimates, were presented in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 .

Critical accounting policies are those that are the most important to the presentation of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.  The application of such accounting policies requires management’s most difficult, subjective, and complex judgments and involves uncertainties and assumptions.  The Company’s most critical accounting policies pertain to public utility regulation related to ASC 980 “Regulated Operations”, revenue recognition (including the WRA), goodwill impairment, income taxes and accounting for pension and other post-retirement benefit plans.  Each of these accounting policies and the application of critical accounting policies and estimates were discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 .

Management must use informed judgments and best estimates to properly apply these critical accounting policies.  Because of the uncertainty in these estimates, actual results could differ from estimates used in applying the critical accounting policies.  The Company is not aware of any reasonably likely events or circumstances which would result in different amounts being reported that would materially affect its financial condition or results of operations.

Outlook

The following modifies and updates the “Outlook” section of the Company’s 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 .

The Company’s earnings and profitability are primarily dependent upon the sale and distribution of water. In Maine the amount of water sold can be dependent on seasonal weather fluctuations, particularly during the summer months when water demand will vary with rainfall and temperature levels. The Company’s earnings and profitability in future years will also depend upon a number of other factors, such as the ability to control our operating costs, customer growth in the Company’s core regulated water utility businesses, growth in revenues attributable to non-water sales operations, availability and desirability of land no longer needed for water delivery for land sales, the outcome of the review of the Company's Connecticut state and federal tax filings by the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services and the IRS, respectively, and the timing and adequacy of rate relief when requested, from time to time, by our regulated water companies.

The Company expects Net Income from its Water Activities segment to increase in 2014 over 2013 levels, based, in part, on the ability to take advantage of the WISC surcharge in Maine and the continued utilization of WICA in Connecticut, along with modest growth in its Services and Rentals segment.

The Company believes that the factors described above and those described in detail below under the heading “Commitments and Contingencies” below may have significant impact, either alone or in the aggregate, on the Company’s earnings and

20

Table of Contents

profitability in fiscal years 2014 and beyond.  Please also review carefully the risks and uncertainties described in the sections entitled Item 1A – Risk Factors, “Commitments and Contingencies” in Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 and the risks and uncertainties described in the “Forward-Looking Information” section below.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company is not aware of demands, events, or uncertainties that will result in a decrease of liquidity or a material change in the mix or relative cost of its capital resources, other than those outlined below.

Borrowing Facilities

The Company entered into a $15 million line of credit agreement with CoBank, ACB ("CoBank"), that is currently scheduled to expire on July 1, 2015 .  The Company maintains an additional line of credit of $20 million with RBS Citizens, N.A., with an expiration date of June 30, 2015 .  As of March 31, 2014 , the total lines of credit available to the Company was $35.0 million .  The Company did not have any Interim Bank Loans Payable at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 , respectively. As of March 31, 2014 , the Company had $35.0 million in unused lines of credit.  Interest expense charged on lines of credit will fluctuate based on market interest rates.

On March 5, 2013, Connecticut Water and CoBank entered into a Promissory Note and Single Advance Term Loan Supplement to an existing Master Loan Agreement (the “Note”) in which CoBank agreed to make an additional Loan to Connecticut Water in an aggregate principal amount of up to $14,550,000, with a maturity date of March 4, 2033. Additionally, the Company entered into an Amendment to the Guarantee dated March 5, 2013 (the “Guarantee Amendment”), pursuant to which the Company agreed to guarantee the payment of certain of Connecticut Water's obligations under the Note pursuant to the same terms of the Guarantee. Connecticut Water used substantially all of the proceeds of the Loans to refinance the 2007 A Series bonds outstanding.

On June 3, 2013, Maine Water completed the issuance of $1,409,888 aggregate principal amount of its First Mortgage Bonds, Series V, 1.0% due April 1, 2033 (the “Bonds”). The Bonds were issued by Maine Water to the Maine Municipal Bond Bank (the “Bank”) and the proceeds of the issuance were loaned (the “Loan”) by the Bank to Maine Water pursuant to a Loan Agreement by and between Maine Water and the Bank dated as of June 3, 2013. The proceeds of the Loan are being used by Maine Water to fund various water facilities projects.

Credit Rating

On January 17, 2014, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services ("S&P") affirmed its 'A' corporate credit rating on the Company. Additionally, S&P revised the Company’s ratings outlook from negative to stable.  The stable outlook recognizes improvements in financial measures achieved through a combination of recovery of investments (including infrastructure surcharges in both Connecticut and Maine and the WRA in Connecticut) as well as a reduction in our debt to equity ratio through the issuance of equity in December 2012 and the repayment of debt.

Stock Plans

The Company offers a dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan (“DRIP”) to all registered shareholders, and to the customers and employees of our regulated water companies, whereby participants can opt to have cash dividends directly reinvested into additional shares of the Company. In August 2011, the Board of Directors approved amendments to the DRIP (effective as of January 1, 2012) that permit the Company to add, at the Company’s discretion, an “up to 5.00% purchase price discount” feature to the DRIP which is intended to encourage greater shareholder, customer and employee participation in the DRIP. During the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 , plan participants invested $419,000 and $393,000, respectively, in additional shares as part of the DRIP.

From 1999 through 2003, the Company issued stock options to certain employees of the Company. No stock options have been issued by the Company since 2003. As of December 31, 2013, the Company had no outstanding stock options. During the three months ended March 31, 2013 , no stock options were exercised.

2014 Construction Budget

The Board of Directors approved a $45.6 million construction budget for 2014, net of amounts to be financed by customer advances and contributions in aid of construction.  The Company is and will use some combination of its internally generated

21

Table of Contents

funds, remaining proceeds from its December 2012 equity issuance, borrowings under its available lines of credit, and the funds remaining under Connecticut Water's 2011 and Maine Water's 2013 debt issuances to fund the 2014 construction budget.

As the Company looks forward to the remainder of 2014 and 2015, it anticipates continued reinvestment to replace aging infrastructure and to seek recovery through periodic WICA applications in Connecticut and WISC applications in Maine.  The total cost of that investment may exceed the amount of internally generated funds.  If so, the Company will consider external financing.  In order to maintain a balanced capital structure, we would consider both debt and equity issuances.

Results of Operations

Three months ended March 31
Net Income for the three months ended March 31, 2014 increased from the same period in the prior year by $373,000 to $2,986,000 . Earnings per basic average common share increased by $0.03 to $0.27 during the three months ended March 31, 2014 .

This increase in Net Income is broken down by business segment as follows (in thousands):

Business Segment
 
March 31, 2014
 
March 31, 2013
 
Increase/(Decrease)
Water Activities
 
$
2,553

 
$
2,227

 
$
326

Real Estate Transactions
 

 

 

Services and Rentals
 
433

 
386

 
47

Total
 
$
2,986

 
$
2,613

 
$
373


The increase in the Water Activity segment’s Net Income was primarily due to the net effects of the variances listed below:

Revenue

Revenue from our water customers increased by $531,000, or 2.7%, to $20,260,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 when compared to the same period in 2013 .  The primary reason for the increase in revenues was attributable to increased WICA surcharges in Connecticut and higher rates in certain Maine divisions. Additionally, the Company saw a benefit from the implementation of the WRA which allows Connecticut Water to record a revenue adjustment, on a monthly basis, based upon our actual billing compared to approved rates, including WICA surcharges and record a regulatory asset or liability for future collection from or refund to customers. During the three months ended March 31, 2014 , the Company recorded approximately $107,000 in additional revenue related to the WRA, there were no WRA revenues recorded in the three months ended March 31, 2013 .


22

Table of Contents

Operation and Maintenance Expense

Operation and Maintenance (“O&M”) expense increased by $289,000 , or 2.8%, for the three months ended March 31, 2014 when compared to the same period of 2013 . The following table presents the components of O&M expense (in thousands):

Expense Components
 
March 31, 2014
 
March 31, 2013
 
Increase / (Decrease)
Other benefits
 
$
585

 
$
310

 
$
275

Payroll
 
3,780

 
3,525

 
255

Maintenance
 
704

 
621

 
83

Medical
 
714

 
631

 
83

Water treatment (including chemicals)
 
691

 
611

 
80

Property and liability insurance
 
340

 
276

 
64

Purchased water
 
300

 
269

 
31

Investor relations
 
151

 
173

 
(22
)
Regulatory and commission expense
 
85

 
113

 
(28
)
Outside services
 
481

 
564

 
(83
)
Customer
 
328

 
436

 
(108
)
Pension
 
648

 
997

 
(349
)
Other
 
1,860

 
1,852

 
8

Total
 
$
10,667

 
$
10,378

 
$
289


The changes in individual items are described below:
The increase in Other benefit costs was attributable primarily to an increase in costs associated with certain stock-based compensation awarded to executives;
Payroll costs increased in the first quarter of 2014 due to an ongoing procurement project that allocated certain employee time to capital was completed during 2013 and normal wage increases. Employee time that had been charged to capital projects during the first quarter of 2013 returned to O&M at the completion of the project;
Medical costs increased due to higher claims and administrative costs during the first quarter of 2014 when compared to the same period in 2013; and
The increase in water treatment costs was due primarily to an increase in waste disposal costs and an increase in the cost of chemicals used in 2014.

The increases described above were partially offset by the following decreases to O&M expense:
Outside services decreased primarily as a result of the completion of the procurement project discussed above. A portion of the consulting fees paid during this project was expensed through O&M during 2013;
Customer costs decreased primarily due to a reduction in bad debt expense. Additionally, the Company saw a reduction in costs associated with postage and customer communications as the Company has implemented a process to directly reach customers with targeted information on their regular bills, which reduced the need for special inserts and one-off mailings; and
Pension costs decreased primarily due to an increase in the discount rate.

The Company saw an approximate $104,000, or 3.8%, increase in its Depreciation expense from the three months ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period in 2013 .  The primary driver of this increase was due to higher Utility Plant in Service as of March 31, 2014 compared to March 31, 2013 .

Income Tax expense decreased by $634,000 in the first quarter of 2014 when compared to the same period in 2013 due to a lower effective income tax rate, partially offset by higher pre-tax net income. The Company's effective tax rate decreased from 37.8% to 17.7% in the three months ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period in 2013 . The primary reasons for the decrease in the effective tax rate was the inclusion of an estimate for the 2014 repair deduction in the current year provision.

Other Income (Deductions), Net of Taxes increased for the three months ended March 31, 2014 by $170,000. The primary driver of this increase was an increase in the Allowance for Funds Used During Construction ("AFUDC") during the three months ended March 31, 2014 .


23

Table of Contents

Total Interest and Debt Expense increased by $321,000 in the three months ended March 31, 2014 when compared to the same period in 2013 . This is primarily due to a timing difference in patronage income the Company receives from one of its banking partners. The Company recorded patronage income related to the 2012 year in the first quarter of 2013 and simultaneously began to accrue for 2013 patronage income. During 2014, the Company accrued only for 2014 patronage income.

Commitments and Contingencies

On June 11, 2013, the Company was notified by the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services that its state tax filings for the years 2009 through 2011 would be reviewed during the fourth quarter of 2013. The Company has provided requested information to the taxing authorities and is currently awaiting further correspondence. The Company is also aware that certain of its peers have been challenged on certain tax credits associated with fixed capital investment and believes that this may be a focus of the State's review. While the Company firmly believes that all fixed capital investment credits are appropriate and conservatively measured, the Company believes, based on recent activities by taxing authorities, that it is more likely than not that the Company's fixed capital investment credits claimed in prior years may be challenged and ultimately disallowed. Therefore, as required by FASB ASC 740, during the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company recorded a provision of $2.0 million , or 100% of the credits recorded for transmission and distribution projects that would be subject to disallowance.

On the 2012 tax return, filed in September 2013, Connecticut Water filed a change in accounting method to adopt the Internal Revenue Services' temporary tangible property regulations. This method change allowed the Company to take a current year deduction for expenses that were previously capitalized for tax purposes. Since the filing of the 2012 tax return, the IRS has issued final regulations. On February 11, 2014, the Company was notified by the Internal Revenue Service that its Federal tax filing for the 2012 tax year will be reviewed in the first quarter of 2014. While the Company believes that the deduction taken on its tax return is appropriate, the methodology for determining the deduction could be challenged by the taxing authorities. Therefore, as required by FASB ASC 740, during the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company recorded a provision of $2.6 million for a portion of the benefit that is not being returned to customers.

The Company remains subject to examination by federal authorities for the 2010 through 2012, and the state authorities for the 2009 through 2012 tax years.

There were no material changes under this subheading to any of the other items previously disclosed by the Company in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period year December 31, 2013 .

Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements made in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, (“10-Q”) are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”) that are made based upon, among other things, our current assumptions, expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect on us.  These forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside our control, which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.  In some cases you can identify forward-looking statements where statements are preceded by, followed by or include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “future,” “potential,” “probably,” “predictions,” “continue” or the negative of such terms or similar expressions.  Forward-looking statements included in this 10-Q, include, but are not limited to, statements regarding:

projected capital expenditures and related funding requirements;
the availability and cost of capital;
developments, trends and consolidation in the water and wastewater utility industries;
dividend payment projections;
our ability to successfully acquire and integrate regulated water and wastewater systems, as well as unregulated businesses, that are complementary to our operations and the growth of our business;
the capacity of our water supplies, water facilities and wastewater facilities;
the impact of limited geographic diversity on our exposure to unusual weather;
the impact of conservation awareness of customers and more efficient plumbing fixtures and appliances on water usage per customer;
our capability to pursue timely rate increase requests;
our authority to carry on our business without unduly burdensome restrictions;
our ability to maintain our operating costs at the lowest possible level, while providing good quality water service;
our ability to obtain fair market value for condemned assets;

24

Table of Contents

the impact of fines and penalties;
changes in laws, governmental regulations and policies, including environmental, health and water quality and public utility regulations and policies;
the decisions of governmental and regulatory bodies, including decisions to raise or lower rates;
our ability to successfully extend and expand our service contract work within our Service and Rentals Segment in both Connecticut and Maine;
the development of new services and technologies by us or our competitors;
the availability of qualified personnel;
the condition of our assets;
the impact of legal proceedings;
general economic conditions;
the profitability of our Real Estate Segment, which is subject to the amount of land we have available for sale and/or donation, the demand for any available land, the continuation of the current state tax benefits relating to the donation of land for open space purposes and regulatory approval for land dispositions;
the amount of repair tax deductions and the Internal Revenue Service’s ultimate acceptance of the deduction methodology; and
acquisition-related costs and synergies.

Because forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including but not limited to:

changes in general economic, business, credit and financial market conditions;
changes in environmental conditions, including those that result in water use restrictions;
the determination of what qualifies for a repair expense tax deduction;
abnormal weather conditions;
increases in energy and fuel costs;
unfavorable changes to the federal and/or state tax codes;
significant changes in, or unanticipated, capital requirements;
significant changes in our credit rating or the market price of our common stock;
our ability to integrate businesses, technologies or services which we may acquire;
our ability to manage the expansion of our business;
the extent to which we are able to develop and market new and improved services;
the continued demand by telecommunication companies for antenna site leases on our property;
the effect of the loss of major customers;
our ability to retain the services of key personnel and to hire qualified personnel as we expand;
labor disputes;
increasing difficulties in obtaining insurance and increased cost of insurance;
cost overruns relating to improvements or the expansion of our operations;
increases in the costs of goods and services;
civil disturbance or terroristic threats or acts; and
changes in accounting pronouncements.

Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.  You should read this 10-Q, the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 (“10-K”) and the documents that we incorporate by reference into the 10-K completely and with the understanding that our actual future results, performance and achievements may be materially different from what we expect.  These forward-looking statements represent our assumptions, expectations and beliefs only as of the date of this 10-Q.  Except for our ongoing obligations to disclose certain information under the federal securities laws, we are not obligated, and assume no obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, even though our situation may change in the future.  For further information or other factors which could affect our financial results and such forward-looking statements, see Part I, Item 1A“Risk Factors” found in the 10-K.  We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

Part I, Item 3:  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk

The primary market risk faced by the Company is interest rate risk.  The Company has no exposure to derivative financial instruments or financial instruments with significant credit risk or off-balance-sheet risks.  In addition, the Company is not subject, in any material respect, to any currency or other commodity risk.


25

Table of Contents

The Company is subject to the risk of fluctuating interest rates in the normal course of business.  The Company’s exposure to interest fluctuations is managed at the Company and subsidiary operations levels through the use of a combination of fixed rate long-term debt, variable long-term debt and short-term variable borrowings under financing arrangements entered into by the Company and its subsidiaries.  The Company has $35.0 million of variable rate lines of credit with two banks, under which the Company did not have any interim bank loans payable at March 31, 2014 .

As of March 31, 2014 , the Company had $22.05 million of variable-rate long-term debt outstanding.  Holding other variables constant, including levels of indebtedness, a one-percentage point change in interest rates would impact pre-tax earnings by approximately $0.2 million, annually.  The Company monitors its exposure to variable rate debt and will make future financing decisions as the need arises.
 
Part I, Item 4:  Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of March 31, 2014 , management, including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)).  Based upon, and as of the date of that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

During the quarter ended March 31, 2014 , there have been no changes in internal control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Part II, Item 1:  Legal Proceedings

We are involved in various legal proceedings from time to time.  Although the results of legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, there are no pending legal proceedings to which we or any of our subsidiaries are a party or to which any of our properties is the subject that presents a reasonable likelihood of a material adverse impact on the Company.

Part II, Item 1A: Risk Factors

Information about the material risks related to our business, financial condition and results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2014 does not materially differ from that set out under Part I, Item 1A "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 . You should carefully consider the risk factors and other information discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 , as well as the information provided elsewhere in this report. Additional risks, uncertainties and other factors not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair the Company's business operations, financial condition or operating results.

Part II, Item 2: Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

No stock repurchases were made during the quarter ended March 31, 2014 .


26

Table of Contents

Part II, Item 6: Exhibits

Exhibit Number
 
Description
 
 
 
3.1
 
Certificate of Incorporation of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. amended and restated as of April, 1998.  (Exhibit 3.1 to Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998).
 
 
 
3.2
 
By-Laws, as amended, of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. as amended and restated as of August 16, 2007. (Exhibit 3.1 to Form 8-K filed on August 21, 2007).
 
 
 
3.3
 
Certification of Incorporation of The Connecticut Water Company effective April, 1998.  (Exhibit 3.3 to Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998).
 
 
 
3.4
 
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. dated August 6, 2001 (Exhibit 3.4 to Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001).
 
 
 
3.5
 
Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. dated April 23, 2004.  (Exhibit 3.5 to Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003).
 
 
 
10.1*
 
Severance Agreement and General Release, dated March 20, 2014, between Terrance P. O’Neill and Connecticut Water Service, Inc. and The Connecticut Water Company, is filed herewith.
 
 
 
10.2*
 
Employment Agreement of Craig J. Patla, dated April 1, 2014, is filed herewith.
 
 
 
10.3*
 
Deferred compensation agreement for Craig J. Patla, dated April 1, 2014, is filed herewith.
 
 
 
10.4
 
Form of First Amendment to Amended and Restated Employment Agreement (Messrs. Thornburg, Benoit and Bancroft, and Ms. Westbrook). (Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K filed on April 3, 2014).
 
 
 
10.5
 
Form of Second Amendment to Employment Agreement (Ms. Johnson and Ms. Wallingford). (Exhibit 10.2 to Form 8-K filed on April 3, 2014).
 
 
 
31.1*
 
Rule 13a-14 Certification of Eric W. Thornburg, Chief Executive Officer.
 
 
 
31.2*
 
Rule 13a-14 Certification of David C. Benoit, Chief Financial Officer.
 
 
 
32**
 
Certification of Eric W. Thornburg, Chief Executive Officer, and David C. Benoit, Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
 
 
 
101.INS**
 
XBRL Instance Document
 
 
 
101.SCH**
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema
 
 
 
101.CAL**
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase
 
 
 
101.DEF**
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
 
 
 
101.LAB**
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase
 
 
 
101.PRE**
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase
 
 
 
* filed herewith
** furnished herewith
 

27

Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 
 
Connecticut Water Service, Inc.
(Registrant)
 
 
 
Date:
May 8, 2014
By:   /s/ David C. Benoit
 
 
David C. Benoit
Senior Vice President – Finance and
Chief Financial Officer
 
 
 
Date:
May 8, 2014
By:   /s/ Nicholas A. Rinaldi
 
 
Nicholas A. Rinaldi
Controller

28





SEVERANCE AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE


This Severance Agreement and General Release (this "Agreement") is entered into this 20 day of March, 2014 . The Connecticut Water Company and the Connecticut Water Service, Inc . (re f erred to throughout this Agreement as the "Company"), and Terrance P. O'Neill, his heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns (collectively referred to throughout this Agreement as "Mr. O'Neill"), agree that:

I. Last Day of Employment. Mr. O'Neill is currently employed with the Company in the position of Vice President, Service Delivery. Effective March 31, 2014, Mr. O'Neill resigns his officer and director positions with the Company and its subsidiaries . As described further in Section II, should Mr. O'Neill agree to and sign this Agreement, Mr. O'Neill will remain an employee of the Company, serving as a non-officer advisor to the President & CEO until September 30, 2014, at which time his employment with the Company will terminate and his final date of employment will be recorded as September 30,
2014.

II. Consideration . In consideration for Mr. O'Neill resigning his officer and director positions with the Company and its subsidiaries, signing this Agreement, and complying with the promises herein, the Company agrees to permit Mr. O'Neill to continue employment until September 30, 2014 and to pay the benefits described on Exhibit A attached hereto (the "Benefits"). The Company will include the value of the Benefits on the appropriate year's IRS Form W2.

Mr . O'Neill will be eligible to attend, at the Company's expense, the 2014 CTAWWA Annual Conference, the AWWA Annual Conference and the NEWWA Annual Conference . He may use his Company issued P-Card for all normal and customary travel expenses for these conferences and provide receipts and explanations to the VP, Human Resources and Corporate Secretary as soon as possible following the date of charge.

Mr. O'Neill will remain on the payroll at his current bi-weekly rate of pay, $8,329.26 and be eligible to continue to participate in health and welfare plans, the Savings Plan of the Connecticut Water Company, Connecticut Water Company Employees' Retirement Plan, and his Amended and Restated Supplemental Executive Retirement Agreement until his final day of employment, September 30, 2014. Mr. O'Neill's participation in agreements and plans provided to officers of the Company, including but not limited to the Performance Stock Plan awards for 2014, his Employment Agreement, and any Deferred Compensation Agreement will cease as of March 31, 2014. Mr. O ' Neill will be eligible to continue to participate in the Runzheimer program at his current level, provided that if Mr. O'Neill drives under 5,000 business miles in 2014, he will be taxed on the difference between the program reimbursement provided to him and the IRS approved mileage reimbursement amount.

III. No Consideration Absent Execution of this Agreement. Mr. O'Neill understands and agrees that he will not receive the Benefits, except for execution and non-revocation of this Agreement and the fulfillment of the promises contained herein.

IV. General Release of All Claims. Mr. O'Neill knowingly and voluntarily releases and forever discharges, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company, its subsidiaries, divisions, predecessors, successors, and assigns, and the current and former employees, officers, directors, insurers, attorneys and agents thereof, of and from any and all claims, known and unknown, asserted and unasserted, Mr. O'Neill has or



may have against the Company as of the date of his execution of this Agreement, including, but not limited to, any alleged violation of:

•    Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964;

•    Sections 1981 through 1988 of Title 42 of the United States Code;

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") (except for any vested benefits under any tax qualified benefit plan);

•    The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990;

•    The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 ("ADEA");

•    The Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act;

•    The Immigration Reform and Control Act;

•    The Fair Credit Reporting Act;

•    The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002;

Any other federal, state or local civil or human rights law or any other federal, state or local law, regulation or ordinance;

Any obligation or claim arising under any public policy, contract express or implied, written or oral), tort, or common law, including but not limited to, wrongful discharge, defamation, emotional distress, misrepresentation and/or obligations arising out of any of the Company's employment policies or practices, employee handbooks and/or any statements by any employee or agent of the Company whether oral or written, except for the Company's obligation to pay Mr. O'Neill the Benefits described herein and to pay Mr. O'Neill his otherwise vested employee benefits; and

•    Any allegation for costs, attorney's fees, or other expenses.

V. Affirmations. Mr. O'Neill affirms that he has not filed, caused to be filed, or presently is a party to any claim against the Company in any forum or form.

Mr. O'Neill affirms that effective March 31, 2014 he will no longer be an officer or director of the Company and as of September 30, 2014 he will no longer be a Company employee and will not have access to any of the Company's premises and/or systems. He affirms that he will not attempt to access any of the Company's or the Company's client's IT systems following termination of employment on September 30, 2014.

Mr. O'Neill also affirms that he has been paid and/or has received all leaves (paid or unpaid), compensation, wages, bonuses, commissions, expenses, vacation time, and/or benefits to which he may be entitled as of March 31, 2014, except as provided in this Agreement. For services rendered from the date of this Agreement until September 30, 2014, Mr. O'Neill agrees that he will be permitted to use accrued paid time off . Mr. O'Neill further affirms that there will be no payout for any unused accrued time as of September 30, 2014 . Mr. O'Neill further affirms that he has no known workplace injuries or occupational diseases .




VI. Confidentiality and Return of Property. Mr. O'Neill agrees not to disclose any information regarding the existence or substance of this Agreement, except to his tax advisor, immediate family and/or an attorney with whom Mr. O'Neill chooses to consult regarding his consideration of this Agreement. Mr. O'Neill also affirms that he has not divulged, and that he will not divulge, any proprietary or confidential information including but not limited to passwords and privileged accesses related to the Company premises, IT systems and networks.

Mr . O'Neill agrees and affirms that he will return all of the Company property, other than the Company issued purchase card, to the Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Secretary including documents, and/or any confidential information in his possession or control. Mr. O'Neill also affirms that he is in possession of all of his personal property that, as of March 31, 2014, he has or had at the Company premises and that the Company is not in possession of any of his personal property.

VII. Employment References. Mr. O'Neill agrees to instruct future prospective employers to make inquiries concerning his employment at the Company to Kristen A. Johnson, Vice President of Human Resources. In response to any such inquiries concerning his employment, the Company will only confirm Mr. O'Neill's job title and dates of employment, per the Company ' s standard policy. The Company agrees to provide a mutually acceptable letter of reference for Mr. O'Neill within seventy
(70) days after Mr. O'Neill's last day of employment, September 30, 2014. Mr. O'Neill agrees to draft such a letter for review, edits and approval by the Company as soon as practicable within this time frame.

VIII. Non-Disparagement. Mr. O'Neill represents and agrees that he will not in any way disparage the Company including, but not limited to, its subsidiaries, affiliates, current and former officers, directors and employees, or make or solicit any comments, statements, or the like (including, without limitation, the repetition or distribution of derogatory rumors, allegations , negative reports or comments) to the media or to others that may be considered to be derogatory or detrimental to the good name or business reputation of the Company and/or its management.

IX. Section 409A. The parties acknowledge and agree that the Benefits contemplated by this Agreement are intended to be exempt from or compliant with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (hereafter IRC 409A), as amended . However, the Company does not warrant to Mr . O ' Neill that all compensation paid to him or delivered to him for his services (including, but not limited to, the Benefits) will be exempt from, or paid in compliance with, IRC 409A. The Company may adopt (without any obligation to do so or to indemnify Mr . O'Neill for failure to do so) such limited amendments to this Agreement and appropriate policies and procedures, that the Company reasonably determines are necessary or appropriate to (i) exempt the severance pay from IRC 409A and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the compensation and Benefits provided with respect to this Agreement or (ii) comply with the requirements of IRC 409A. No provision of this Agreement
shall be interpreted or construed to transfer any liability for failure to comply with the requirements of IRC 409A from Mr. O'Neill to the Company or any of its affiliate, employees or agents. Mr. O'Neill understands and agrees that he bears the entire risk of any adverse federal, state, or local tax consequences for his services on a basis contrary to the provisions of IRC 409A or comparable provisions of any applicable state or local income tax laws.

Any taxable reimbursement of business or other expenses as specified under this Agreement will be subject to the following conditions: (1) the expenses eligible for reimbursement in one taxable year will not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement in any other taxable year; (2) the reimbursement of a eligible expense will be made no later than the end of the year after the year in
which such expense was incurred; and (3) the right to reimbursement will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.




X. Governing Law and Interpretation. This Agreement shall be governed and conformed in accordance with the laws of the state of Connecticut without regard to its conflict of laws provisions. In the event of a breach of any provision of this Agreement, either party may institute an action specifically to enforce any term or terms of this Agreement and/or seek any damages for breach. Should any provision of this Agreement be declared illegal or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction and cannot be modified to be enforceable, excluding the general release language, such provision shall immediately become null and void, leaving the remainder of this Agreement in full force and effect.

XI. Cooperation. Mr. O'Neill agrees to cooperate with the Company as to details of prior events, location of documents and files, or in any other manner in which his cooperation is requested such as providing computer passwords and user identification numbers. The Company will reimburse Mr. O'Neill for all reasonable costs or expenses associated with this cooperation.

XII. Amendment. This Agreement may not be modified, altered or changed except in writing and signed by both parties wherein specific reference is made to this Agreement.

XIII. Entire Agreement . This Agreement, Exhibit A attached hereto, and the "Resignation as Officer of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. and The Connecticut Water Company and Notice of Retirement" letter dated March 31, 2014, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 8 hereto, sets forth the entire agreement between the parties hereto, and fully supersede any prior agreements or understandings between the parties. Mr. O'Neill acknowledges that he has not relied on any representations, promises, or agreements of any kind made to him in connection with his decision to accept this Agreement, including but not limited to the Terms Sheet dated March 16, 2014, except for those set forth in this Agreement.

MR. O'NEILL IS ADVISED THAT HE HAS TWENTY ONE (21) CALENDAR DAYS TO CONSIDER THIS AGREEMENT. MR. O'NEILL ALSO IS ADVISED TO CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY PRIOR TO SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT.

MR. O'NEILL MAY REVOKE HIS ACCEPTANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT FOR A PERIOD OF SEVEN (7) CALENDAR DAYS THE DAY HE SIGNS THIS AGREEMENT. ANY REVOCATION WITHIN THIS PERIOD MUST BE SUBMITTED, IN WRITING, TO ERIC W. THORNBURG AND STATE, "I HEREBY REVOKE MY ACCEPTANCE OF OUR AGREEMENT." THE REVOCATION MUST BE PERSONALLY DELIVERED TO A MEMBER OF THE COMPANY'S HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, OR MAILED TO ERIC W. THORNBURG AND POSTMARKED WITHIN SEVEN (7) CALENDAR DAYS AFTER MR. O'NEILL SIGNED THIS AGREEMENT.

MR. O'NEILL FREELY AND KNOWINGLY, AND AFTER DUE CONSIDERATION, ENTERS INTO THIS AGREEMENT INTENDING TO WAIVE, SETTLE AND RELEASE ALL CLAIMS HE HAS OR MIGHT HAVE AGAINST THE COMPANY AS SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH IV ABOVE.

The parties knowingly and voluntarily signed this Agreement as of the date(s) set forth below:

/s/ Terrance P. O’Neill
Date:    3/20/14
Terrance P. O'Neill
 

Connecticut Water Company and The Connecticut Water Service, Inc.:

/s/ Eric W. Thornburg
Date:    3/21/14
Eric W. Thornburg, President and CEO
 




EXHIBIT A TO SEVERANCE AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE

BENEFITS



Performance Stock Plan Vesting


1. Unvested Performance Shares



Current Value of Accelerated Vesting of Performance Shares: $52,968 (FMV as of 3/11/14; to be revalued upon retirement)

Timing of Benefit Payment: If Mr. O'Neill signs and does not revoke the Agreement, the Compensation Committee of the Company has agreed to deem his exit an "approved retirement" under the Company's Performance Share Plan (the "Plan"). As such, the vesting of performance shares will be accelerated. Payment of the performance shares will be made in accordance with the terms of the Plan. Accordingly, the conversion from performance shares into CWS Common Stock, and payment of the shares, will be delayed for IRC 409A purposes until the first day of the seventh month following his termination of employment on September 30, 2014, and such other payment terms as may be applicable per the terms of the Plan will apply, provided the terms of the Agreement have been met.

Additional Information: Following is an accounting of Mr. O'Neill's unvested performance shares :
•    534 Performance Shares awarded under the 2012 Plan Year (scheduled to vest in 2015)

•    535 Performance Shares awarded under the 2013 Plan Year (scheduled to vest in 2015)

•    534 Performance Shares awarded under the 2013 Plan Year (scheduled to vest in 2016)

2. Unvested Performance Cash Award



Value of Accelerated Vesting of Performance Cash: $47,404.00

Timing of Benefit Payment: If Mr. O'Neill signs and does not revoke the Agreement, the Compensation Committee has agreed to deem his exit an "approved retirement" under the Plan . As such, the vesting of performance cash will be accelerated. Payment of the performance shares will be made in accordance with the terms of the Plan. Accordingly, the payment of performance cash will be delayed for IRC 409A purposes until the first day of the seventh month following Mr. O'Neill's termination of employment on September 30, 2014, and such other payment terms as may be applicable per the terms of the Plan will apply, provided the terms of the Agreement have been met.

Additional Information: Following is an accounting of your unvested performance cash award :


•    $15,583 Performance Cash awarded under the 2012 Plan Year (scheduled to vest in 2015)

•    $15,911Performance Cash awarded under the 2013 Plan Year (scheduled to vest in 2015)

•    $15,910 Performance Cash awarded under the 2013 Plan Year (scheduled to vest in 2016)





Cash Severance Payment


If Mr. O'Neill signs and does not revoke the Agreement he will be eligible to receive a one-time cash severance payment of $125,000.00, minus all applicable tax deductions (the "Severance Payment"), which such amount includes a value for three years of premium equivalents at the employee & family level for medical and dental coverage of $15,500. The Severance Payment will be paid to Mr. O'Neill on the first regularly-scheduled payroll date following September 30, 2014.



























































Exhibit B
Severance Agreement and General Release

March 31, 2014

Mr. Eric W. Thornburg
President and Chief Executive Officer
Connecticut Water Service, Inc.
The Connecticut Water Company
93 West Main Street
Clinton, Connecticut 06413

Re:
Resignation as Officer of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. and The Connecticut Water Company and Notice of Retirement

Dear Eric:

I hereby resign my officer positions as Vice President, Service Delivery at each of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. (“CWS”) and the Connecticut Water Company (“CWC”) effective as of April 1, 2014.

I also hereby resign from any other officer or director positions I currently hold at any of the direct or indirect subsidiaries of CWS or CWC.

I will plan to continue to serve the Company in a non-officer capacity until my retirement on September 30, 2014.

Very truly yours,
/s/ Terrance P. O’Neill
Terrance P. O’Neill

Acknowledged and Agreed:

CONNECTICUT WATER SERVICE, INC.
THE CONNECTICUT WATER COMPANY
By: /s/ Eric W. Thornburg
Name: Eric W. Thornburg
Title: President and CEO


EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT, dated this first day of April, 2014, is made by and between The Connecticut Water Company, a Connecticut corporation having its principal place of business in Clinton, Connecticut, ("Company"), Connecticut Water Service, Inc., a Connecticut corporation and holder of all of the outstanding capital stock of Company ("Parent") and Craig J. Patla, a resident of Madison, Connecticut, ("Employee").


WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, Company and Parent desire to reward Employee for Employee's valuable, dedicated service to Company and Parent should Employee's service be terminated under circumstances hereinafter described; and
    
WHEREAS, Employee, Company and Parent are willing to enter into this Employment Agreement ("Agreement") on the terms herein set forth;

NOW, THEREFORE, to assure Company and Parent of Employee's continued dedication and the availability of Employee's advice and counsel in the event of any such proposal, to induce Employee to remain in the employ of Company and Parent and to reward Employee for Employee's valuable dedicated service to Company and Parent should Employee's service be terminated under circumstances hereinafter described, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which each party acknowledges, effective April 1, 2014, Company, Parent and Employee agree as follows:

1.     Definitions . For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a)    "Cause" shall mean Employee's serious, willful misconduct in respect of Employee's duties under this Agreement, including conviction for a felony or perpetration by Employee of a common law fraud upon Company or Parent which has resulted or is likely to result in material economic damage to Company or Parent, as determined by a vote of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of all of the Directors (excluding Employee) of each of Company’s and Parent’s Board of Directors;

(b) "Change-in-Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if after the date hereof (i) a public announcement shall be made or a report on Schedule 13D shall be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act") disclosing that any Person (as defined below), other than Company or Parent or any employee benefit plan sponsored by Company or Parent, is the beneficial owner (as the term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act) directly or indirectly, of twenty percent (20%) or more of the total voting power represented by Company's or Parent's then outstanding voting common stock (calculated as provided in paragraph (d) of Rule 13d-3 under the Act in the case of rights to acquire voting common stock); or (ii) any Person, other than Company or Parent

-1-


or any employee benefit plan sponsored by Company or Parent, shall purchase shares pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer to acquire any voting common stock of Company or Parent (or securities convertible into such voting common stock) for cash, securities or any other consideration, provided that after consummation of the offer, the Person in question is the beneficial owner directly or indirectly, of twenty percent (20%) or more of the total voting power represented by Company's or Parent's then outstanding voting common stock (all as calculated under clause (i)); or (iii) the stockholders of Company or Parent shall approve (A) any consolidation or merger of Company or Parent in which Company or Parent is not the continuing or surviving corporation (other than a merger of Company or Parent in which holders of the outstanding capital stock of Company or Parent immediately prior to the merger have the same proportionate ownership of the outstanding capital stock of the surviving corporation immediately after the merger as immediately before), or pursuant to which the outstanding capital stock of Company or Parent would be converted into cash, securities or other property, or (B) any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all the assets of Company or Parent; or (iv) there shall have been a change in the composition of the Board of Directors of Company or Parent at any time during any consecutive twenty-four (24) month period such that "continuing directors" cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board unless the election, or the nomination for election of each new Director was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Directors then still in office who were Directors at the beginning of such period; or (v) the Board of Directors of Company or Parent, by a vote of a majority of all the Directors (excluding Employee) adopts a resolution to the effect that a "Change-in-Control" has occurred for purposes of this Agreement.

(c) "Disability" shall mean the incapacity of Employee by illness or any other cause as determined under the long-term disability insurance plan of Company in effect at the time in question, or if no such plan is in effect, then such incapacity of Employee as prevents Employee from performing the essential functions of Employee's position with or without reasonable accommodation for a period in excess of two hundred forty (240) days (whether or not consecutive), or one hundred eighty (180) days consecutively, as the case may be, during any twelve (12) month period.

(d) "Effective Date" shall be the date on which a Change-in-Control occurs. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if Employee's employment is terminated prior to the date on which a Change-in-Control occurs, and it is reasonably demonstrated that such termination (i) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change-in-Control or (ii) otherwise arose in connection with or anticipation of a Change-in-Control, then for all purposes of this Agreement the "Effective Date" shall mean the date immediately prior to the date of such termination.

(e) "Good Reason" shall mean the occurrence of any action which (i) removes or changes Employee's title or reduces Employee's job responsibilities or base salary; (ii) results in a significant worsening of Employee's work conditions; or (iii) moves Employee's place of employment to a location that increases Employee's commute by more than thirty (30) miles over the length of Employee's commute from Employee's place of principal residence at

-2-


the time the move is requested. For purposes of this subparagraph (e), any good faith determination by Employee that any such action has occurred shall be conclusive.

(f) "Person" shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, company or other entity, and shall include a "group" as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

2.
Employment.

(a) As of the Effective Date, Company hereby agrees to continue to employ Employee and Employee agrees to remain in the employ of Company for the Term of this Agreement upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth. Subject to the provisions of subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph 2, and to the provisions of Paragraph 6 below, "Term" shall mean a continuously renewing period of three (3) years commencing on the Effective Date.

(b) At any time during the Term, the Board of Directors of Company and Parent may, by written notice to Employee, advise Employee of their desire to modify or amend any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement or to delete or add any terms or provisions. Any such notice ("Notice") shall describe the proposed modifications in reasonable detail. In the event a Notice shall be given to Employee, then Company, Parent and Employee agree to discuss the proposed modification(s) and to attempt in good faith to reach agreement with respect thereto and to reduce such agreement to writing in an amendment to be executed by all the parties ("Amendment"). If a Notice is given hereunder and an Amendment shall not have been executed on or before the sixtieth (60th) day following the date on which Notice is given, then the Term shall thereupon be automatically converted to a fixed period ending three (3) years after the expiration of such sixty (60) days.

3.     Duties of Employment.

(a) During the Term, Employee's position (including status, offices, titles and reporting requirements), authority, duties and responsibilities shall be at least commensurate in all material respects with the most significant of those held, exercised and assigned at any time during the ninety (90)-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date and Employee's services shall be performed at such location as Employee shall determine.

(b) During the Term, Employee will serve Company faithfully, diligently and competently and will devote full-time to Employee's employment and will hold, in addition to the offices held on the Effective Date, such other Employee offices of Company or Parent, or their respective subsidiaries and affiliates, to which Employee may be elected, appointed or assigned by the Boards of Directors of Company or Parent from time to time and will discharge such Employee duties in connection therewith. Nothing in this Agreement shall preclude Employee, with the prior approval of the Board of Directors of Company, from devoting reasonable periods of time required for (i) serving as a director or member of a committee of any organization involving no conflict of interest with Company or Parent, or (ii) engaging in

-3-


charitable, religious and community activities, provided, that such directorships, memberships or activities do not materially interfere with the performance of Employee's duties hereunder.

4.     Compensation. During the Term, Company shall pay to Employee as compensation for the services to be rendered by Employee hereunder the following:

(a)    A base salary at a rate equal to the highest base salary paid or payable to Employee by Company during the twelve (12)-month period immediately preceding the month in which the Effective Date occurs, or such larger sum as the Company may from time to time determine in connection with regular periodic performance reviews pursuant to Company's policies and practices. Such compensation shall be payable in accordance with the normal payroll practices of Company. Employee shall receive an annual increase in base salary at each normal pay adjustment date during the Term, but no later than one (1) year after the date of Employee's last increase and annually thereafter during the Term, of not less than the percentage increase in the cost-of-living since Employee's last pay adjustment, as measured by the Consumer Price Index-All Urban Consumers of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

(b)    In addition, Company shall pay to Employee an annual award under the Company’s Performance Stock Program (or other bonus program in effect at the time the Effective Date occurs) payable in cash or other form of compensation, for which he would have been eligible in accordance with the Company's practice or plan in effect at that time for annual bonuses for said employee for the year preceding the fiscal year in which the Effective Date occurs.

5. Benefits . During the Term, Employee shall be entitled to the following benefits:

(a) Incentive, Savings and Retirement Plans . In addition to base salary and bonus payable as hereinabove provided, Employee shall be entitled to participate during the Term in all savings and retirement plans, practices, policies and programs applicable to employees of Company as may be in effect from time to time. Such plans, practices, policies and programs, in the aggregate, shall provide Employee with compensation, benefits and reward opportunities at least as favorable as the most favorable of such compensation, benefits and reward opportunities provided by Company for Employee under such plans, practices, policies and programs as in effect at any time during the ninety (90)-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to Employee, as provided at any time thereafter with respect to other key employees of Company or Parent.

(b) Welfare Benefit Plans . During the Term, Employee and/or Employee's family, as the case may be, shall be eligible for participation in and shall receive all benefits under welfare benefit plans, practices, policies and programs applicable to employees of Company (including, without limitation, medical, prescription, dental, disability, salary continuance, employee life, group life,) at least as favorable as the most favorable of such plans, practices, policies and programs in effect at any time during the ninety (90)-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to Employee and/or Employee's

-4-


family, as in effect at any time thereafter with respect to other key employees of Company or Parent.

(c) Expenses . During the Term, Employee shall be entitled to receive prompt reimbursement for all reasonable expenses incurred by Employee in accordance with the most favorable policies, practices and procedures of Company in effect at any time during the ninety (90)-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to Employee, as in effect at any time thereafter with respect to other key employees of Company or Parent.

(d) Fringe Benefits . During the Term, Employee shall be entitled to fringe benefits, including use of an automobile and payment of related expenses or payment of an allowance for automobile related expenses, in accordance with the most favorable plans, practices, programs and policies of Company in effect at any time during the ninety (90)-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to Employee, as in effect at any time thereafter with respect to other key employees of Company or Parent.

(e) Office and Support Staff . During the Term, Employee shall be entitled to an office or offices of a size and with furnishings and other appointments, and to secretarial and other assistance, at least equal to the most favorable of the foregoing provided to Employee by Company at any time during the ninety (90)-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to Employee, as provided at any time thereafter with respect to other key employees of Company or Parent.

(f) Vacation . During the Term, Employee shall be entitled to paid vacation in accordance with the most favorable plans, policies, programs and practices of Company as in effect at any time during the ninety (90)-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to Employee, as in effect at any time thereafter with respect to other key employees of Company or Parent.


6.     End of Term and Notice of Termination .

(a)     End of Term . The Term shall end upon the occurrence of any of the following events:

(i) Termination of Employee's employment by Company for Cause.

(ii)
The voluntary termination of Employee's employment by Employee other than for Good Reason.

(iii) The death of Employee.

(iv) Employee's attainment of age sixty-five (65).


-5-


(v)
Full compliance by Company with the provisions of Paragraph 7(e) below, if Employee's employment shall have been terminated by Company during the Term for any reason other than Cause, or if Employee's employment shall have been terminated by reason of Employee's Disability, or if Employee shall have voluntarily terminated Employee's employment during the Term for Good Reason.

(b)     Notice of Termination . Any termination by Company for Cause or by Employee for Good Reason or on account of Employee's Disability shall be communicated by notice to the other party hereto given in accordance with Section 15 of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, a "notice" means a written notice which (i) indicates the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon, (ii) sets forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of Employee's employment under the provision so indicated and (iii) if the date of termination (as defined below) is other than the date of receipt of such notice, specifies the termination date (which date shall be not more than fifteen (15) days after the giving of such notice).

(c)     Date of Termination . The date of termination means the date of receipt of the notice of termination or any later date specified therein, as the case may be; provided, however, that (i) if Employee's employment is terminated by Company other than for Cause or on account of Employee's Disability, the date of termination shall be the date on which Company notifies Employee of such termination and (ii) if Employee's employment is terminated by reason of death, the date of termination shall be the date of death of Employee.

(d)     Termination of Employment . In order for the Employee to be considered to have terminated employment with the Company, the Employee must have incurred a separation from service from the Company (and all related companies) within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the term termination of employment and the like as used in this Agreement shall be construed to mean separation from service as so defined under Section 409A of the Code.

7.     Payment Upon Termination .

(a) If Employee's employment is terminated by Company for Cause, as defined in Paragraph 1(a), the obligations of Company under this Agreement shall cease and Employee shall forfeit all right to receive any compensation or other benefits under this Agreement except only compensation or benefits accrued or earned and vested (if applicable) by Employee as of the date of termination, including base salary through the date of termination, benefits payable under the terms of any qualified or nonqualified retirement plans or deferred compensation plans maintained by Company, any accrued vacation pay as of the date of termination not yet paid by Company and any benefits required to be paid by law such as continued health care coverage pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 ("COBRA") (collectively, the "Accrued Obligations").


-6-


(b) If Employee shall voluntarily terminate Employee's employment during the Term, other than for Good Reason, as defined in Paragraph 1(e), the obligations of Company under this Agreement shall cease and Employee shall forfeit all right to receive any compensation or other benefits under this Agreement except only the Accrued Obligations.

(c) In the event of the death of Employee during the Term, then, in addition to the Accrued Obligations and any other benefits which may be payable by Company in respect of the death of Employee, the base salary then payable hereunder shall continue to be paid at the then current rate for a period of six (6) months after such death to such beneficiary as shall have been designated in writing by Employee, or if no effective designation exists, then to the estate of Employee. Such payment shall be made on the first (1 st ) and fifteenth (15 th ) of each month, beginning on the first day of the first month following Employee’s death.

(d) If Employee's employment is terminated by reason of Employee's attainment of age sixty-five (65), the obligations of Company under this Agreement shall cease and Employee shall forfeit all right to receive any compensation or other benefits under this Agreement except the Accrued Obligations.

(e) If Employee's employment is terminated by Company during the Term for any reason other than for Cause, or Employee's death, or Employee's attainment of age sixty-five (65), or if Employee's employment is terminated during the Term by reason of Employee's Disability, or if Employee shall voluntarily terminate Employee's employment during the Term for Good Reason, Employee shall be entitled to receive, and Company shall be obligated to pay and provide Employee, the following amounts:

(i) An amount in consideration of the covenants by Executive set forth in Paragraphs 8 and 9 below to be determined by a nationally recognized independent certified public accounting firm selected and retained by Company to be the reasonable value of said covenants as of the date of termination of Employee’s employment, but in no event shall such amount be greater than the aggregate value of the benefits provided in subparagraphs (e)(ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (viii) hereinbelow. The benefits otherwise payable to Executive pursuant to said subparagraphs shall be offset by the amount, if any, payable to Executive in respect of the covenants by Employee set forth in Paragraphs 8 and 9 below. Said amount paid in consideration of the covenants by Executive set forth in Paragraphs 8 and 9 below shall be paid in accordance with subparagraphs (e)(ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (viii) below, and this subparagraph (i) shall not alter the time or form of payment of such amounts.

(ii) An amount equal to three (3) times the base salary of Employee, at the rate in effect immediately prior to the date of termination, plus an amount equal to three (3) times the target percentage of the midpoint of Employee's salary grade under the Company's officers incentive program (as administered through the Company’s Performance Stock Program) for the year in which termination occurs if the employee is a participant in such plan at the time of the Change-in-Control. Such amount so determined shall be divided into thirty-six (36) equal amounts. If the Employee is not a “specified employee” as defined under Section 409A of the Code at the time of termination, payment of such equal amounts shall be made on the first day of

-7-


each month, commencing with the first day of the first month following termination. If the Employee is a “specified employee” as that term is defined under Section 409A of the Code on the date of termination, seven (7) such equal amounts shall be paid to the Employee on the date which is the first day of the seventh (7 th ) month following the date of termination of employment, and the twenty-nine (29) remaining equal amounts shall be payable on the first day of each month subsequent to the date of the first payment (one payment per month) until the payments are completed. Payments shall be treated as supplemental wage payments under applicable Treasury Regulations subject to federal tax withholding at the flat percentage rate applicable thereto.

(iii) An amount equal to the aggregate amounts that Company would have contributed on behalf of Employee under Company's qualified defined contribution retirement plan(s), if any such plan(s) shall be in effect (other than amounts attributable to Employee's before-tax contributions to such plan(s)) plus estimated earnings thereon had Employee continued in the employ of Company for the three (3)-year period commencing on the date of termination and made contributions under said plan(s) equal to the maximum amount that the Employee could have contributed under the terms of such plan(s) for the plan year immediately preceding Employee's termination, to be payable in a lump sum to Employee on the second anniversary of the Employee’s termination of employment, provided that Employee shall not have breached said non-competition provisions.

(iv) An amount equal to the additional Interest Equivalent which would have been earned under any deferred compensation agreement between Company and Employee, if any such agreement shall be in effect, had Employee continued in the employ of Company for the three (3)-year period commencing on the date of termination, received compensation at least equal to that specified in Paragraph 4 of this Agreement during such time, and deferred pursuant to said deferred compensation agreement the amount of compensation specified therein; such amount to be payable in a lump sum to Employee on the second anniversary of the Employee’s termination of employment, provided that Employee shall not have breached said non-competition provisions.

(v) Additional retirement benefits equal to the additional annual pension benefits that would have been payable to Employee under Company's qualified defined benefit retirement plan (the "Plan") and under any nonqualified supplemental Employee retirement plan covering Employee (the "Supplemental Plan"), if any such Plan or Supplemental Plan shall be in effect, if Employee had been continued in the employ of Company for the three (3)-year period commencing on the date of termination and had received compensation at least equal to that specified in Paragraph 4(a) of this Agreement during such time and had been fully vested in the benefits payable under any such Plan and Supplemental Plan. The discounted present value of such additional benefits, shall be payable to Employee in a lump sum, as calculated by the independent actuary for the Plan using the assumptions specified in the Plan, on the second anniversary of the Employee’s termination of employment, provided that Employee shall not have breached said non-competition provisions.


-8-


(vi) At the date of termination of Employee's employment, Employee shall be fully vested in any form of compensation previously granted to Employee (other than benefits payable under a qualified retirement plan), such as, by way of example only, restricted stock, stock options, and performance share awards.

(vii) If Employee's employment is terminated by reason of Employee's Disability, Employee shall be entitled to receive, in addition to the other benefits provided under this Paragraph 7(e), disability benefits payable in accordance with any bona fide disability plan maintained by Company or Parent, to the extent Employee qualifies for benefits under the terms of such bona fide disability plan.

(viii) A lump sum cash payment equal to three (3) times the sum of the average of the annual contributions, payments, credits or allocations made by the Company on behalf of the Employee for coverage under all life, health, disability and similar welfare benefit plans and programs and other perquisites maintained by the Company during the three (3) calendar year period preceding his termination of employment. Such payment shall be made on the first day of the seventh (7 th ) month following the Employee’s termination of employment, if the Employee is a “specified employee” as defined under Section 409A of the Code on the date of termination. If the Employee is not a specified employee on the date of termination, payment shall be made on the first day of the month following the Employee’s termination of employment.

(ix) Company shall reimburse Employee for the amount of any reasonable legal or accounting fees and expenses incurred by Employee to obtain or enforce any right or benefit provided to Employee by Company hereunder or as confirmed or acknowledged hereunder, provided that no such reimbursement shall be made earlier than seven (7) months following the Employee’s termination, if the Employee is a “specified employee” as that term is defined under Section 409A of the Code on the date of termination, and in no event shall any reimbursement be made any later than December 31 of the calendar year following the year in which the expense is incurred by the Employee.

(x) Company shall provide the Employee with reasonable outplacement services from a firm selected by the Company for a period of one (1) year commencing on the date of termination, or until Employee accepts other employment, if earlier.

8. Confidential Information . Employee understands that in the course of Employee's employment by Company, Employee will receive or have access to confidential information concerning the business or purposes of Company and Parent, and which Company and Parent desire to protect. Such confidential information shall be deemed to include, but not be limited to, Company's customer lists and information, and employee lists, including, if known, personnel information and data. Employee agrees that Employee will not, at any time during the period ending two (2) years after the date of termination of Employee's employment, reveal to anyone outside Company or Parent or use for Employee's own benefit any such information without specific written authorization by Company or Parent. Employee further agrees not to use any such confidential information or trade secrets in competing with Company

-9-


or Parent at any time during or in the two (2) year period immediately following the date of termination of Employee's employment with Company.

9. Covenants by Employee Not to Compete With Company or Parent .

(a)    Upon the date of termination of Employee's employment with Company for any reason, Employee covenants and agrees that Employee will not at any time during the period of two (2) years from and after such date of termination directly or indirectly in any manner or under any circumstances or conditions whatsoever be or become interested, as an individual, partner, principal, agent, clerk, employee, stockholder, officer, director, trustee, or in any other capacity whatsoever, except as a nominal owner of stock of a public corporation, in any other business which, at the date of Employee's termination, is a Competitor (as defined herein), either directly or indirectly, with Company or Parent, or engage or participate in, directly or indirectly (whether as an officer, director, employee, partner, consultant, holder of an equity or debt investment, lender or in any other manner or capacity), or lend Employee's name (or any part or variant thereof) to, any business which, at the date of Employee's termination, is a Competitor, either directly or indirectly, with Company or Parent, or as a result of Employee's engagement or participation would become, a Competitor, either directly or indirectly, with any aspect of the business of Company or Parent as it exists at the time of Employee's termination, or solicit any officer, director, employee or agent of Company or Parent or any subsidiary or affiliate of Company or Parent to become an officer, director, employee or agent of Employee, Employee's respective affiliates or anyone else. Ownership, in the aggregate, of less than one percent (1 %) of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any corporation with one or more classes of its capital stock listed on a national securities exchange or publicly traded in the over-the-counter market shall not constitute a violation of the foregoing provision. For the purposes of this Agreement, a Competitor is any business which is similar to the business of Company or Parent or in any way in competition with the business of Company or Parent within any of the then-existing water utility service areas of Company.

(b) Employee hereby acknowledges that Employee's services are unique and extraordinary, and are not readily replaceable, and hereby expressly agrees that Company and Parent, in enforcing the covenants contained in Paragraphs 8 and 9 herein, in addition to any other remedies provided for herein or otherwise available at law, shall be entitled in any court of equity having jurisdiction to an injunction restraining Employee in the event of a breach, actual or threatened, of the agreements and covenants contained in these Paragraphs.

(c) The parties hereto believe that the restrictive covenants of these Paragraphs are reasonable. However, if at any time it shall be determined by any court of competent jurisdiction that these Paragraphs or any portion of them as written, are unenforceable because the restrictions are unreasonable, the parties hereto agree that such portions as shall have been determined to be unreasonably restrictive shall thereupon be deemed so amended as to make such restrictions reasonable in the determination of such court, and the said covenants, as so modified, shall be enforceable between the parties to the same extent as if such amendments had been made prior to the date of any alleged breach of said covenants.


-10-


10. No Obligation to Mitigate . So long as Employee shall not be in breach of any provision of Paragraph 8 or 9, Employee shall have no duty to mitigate damages in the event of a termination and if Employee voluntarily obtains other employment (including self-employment), any compensation or profits received or accrued, directly or indirectly, from such other employment shall not reduce or otherwise affect the obligations of Company and Parent to make payments hereunder.

11. Resignation . In the event that Employee's services hereunder are terminated under any of the provisions of this Agreement (except by death), Employee agrees that Employee will deliver Employee's written resignation as an officer of Company or Parent, or their subsidiaries and affiliates, to the Board of Directors, such resignation to become effective immediately, or, at the option of the Board of Directors, on a later date as specified by the Board.

12. Insurance . Company shall have the right at its own cost and expense to apply for and to secure in its own name, or otherwise, life, health or accident insurance or any or all of them covering Employee, and Employee agrees to submit to the usual and customary medical examination and otherwise to cooperate with Company in connection with the procurement of any such insurance, and any claims thereunder.

13. Release . As a condition of receiving payments or benefits provided for in this Agreement, at the request of Company or Parent, Employee shall execute and deliver for the benefit of Company and Parent, and any subsidiary or affiliate of Company or Parent, a general release in the form set forth in Attachment A, and such release shall become effective in accordance with its terms. The failure or refusal of Employee to sign such a release or the revocation of such a release shall cause the termination of any and all obligations of Company and Parent to make payments or provide benefits hereunder, and the forfeiture of the right of Employee to receive any such payments and benefits. Any amounts otherwise payable on account of Employee's termination of employment under this Agreement which (i) are conditioned in any part on a release of claims and (ii) would otherwise be paid (assuming the release is given) prior to the last day on which the release could become irrevocable assuming Employee's latest possible execution and delivery of the release (such last day, the “Release Deadline") shall be paid, if ever, only on the Release Deadline, even if Employee's release becomes irrevocable before that date. The Company may elect to make such payment up to thirty (30) days prior to the Release Deadline, however. Employee acknowledges that Company and Parent have advised Employee to consult with an attorney prior to signing this Agreement and that Employee has had an opportunity to do so.

13A. Limitation on Payments.
In the event that:
(a)    the aggregate payments or benefits to be made to Employee pursuant to this Agreement, together with other payments and benefits which Employee has a right to receive from the Parent, the Company and any affiliated entities, which are deemed to be parachute payments as defined in Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and regulations

-11-


issued thereunder (the “Termination Benefits”), would be deemed to include an “excess parachute payment” under Section 280G of said Code; and
(b)    if such Termination Benefits were reduced to an amount (the “Non-Triggering Amount”), the value of which is one dollar ($1.00) less than an amount equal to three times the Employee’s “base amount,” as determined in accordance with said Section 280G of the Code, and the Non-Triggering Amount, less the product of the marginal rate of any applicable state and federal income tax and the Non-Triggering Amount, would be greater than the aggregate value of the Termination Benefits (without such reduction) minus (A) the amount of tax required to be paid by the Employee by Section 4999 of the Code and further minus (B) the product of the Termination Benefits and the marginal rate of any applicable state and federal income tax,
then the Termination Benefits shall be reduced to the Non-Triggering Amount. The determination of whether such a reduction is required will be made at the expense of the Company by the Company’s independent accountants or benefits consultant. If a reduction is required, the Company shall determine how the reduction among the Termination Benefits shall be allocated until the reduction is fully accomplished.
(c)    This provision is intended to follow the “best of net” or “best-net cutback” approach.

14. Notices . All notices under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed effective when delivered in person to Employee or to the Secretary of Company and Parent, or if mailed, postage prepaid, registered or certified mail, addressed, in the case of Employee, to Employee's last known address as carried on the personnel records of Company, and, in the case of Company and Parent, to the corporate headquarters, attention of the Secretary, or to such other address as the party to be notified may specify by notice to the other party.

15. Successors and Binding Agreement .

(a)    Company and Parent will require any successor, whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of Company and/or Parent, as the case may be, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that Company and Parent are required to perform it. Failure of Company and Parent to obtain such assumption and agreement prior to the effectiveness of any such succession shall be a breach of this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, "Company" and "Parent" shall include any successor to Company's and/or Parent's, as the case may be, business and/or assets as aforesaid which assumes and agrees to perform this Agreement by operation of law, or otherwise.

(b)    This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, Employee's personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees. If Employee dies while any amount is still payable

-12-


hereunder, all such amounts shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to Employee's devisee, legatee or other designee or, if there is no such designee, to Employee's estate.

16. Arbitration . Any dispute which may arise between the parties hereto may, if both parties agree, be submitted to binding arbitration in the State of Connecticut in accordance with the Rules of the American Arbitration Association; provided that any such dispute shall first be submitted to Company's Board of Directors in an effort to resolve such dispute without resort to arbitration.

17. Severability . If any of the terms or conditions of this Agreement shall be declared void or unenforceable by any court or administrative body of competent jurisdiction, such term or condition shall be deemed severable from the remainder of this Agreement, and the other terms and conditions of this Agreement shall continue to be valid and enforceable.

18. Amendment . This Agreement may be modified or amended only by an instrument in writing executed by the parties hereto.

19. Construction . This Agreement shall supersede and replace all prior agreements and understandings between the parties hereto on the subject - matter covered hereby. This Agreement shall be governed and construed under the laws of the State of Connecticut. Words of the masculine gender mean and include correlative words of the feminine gender. Paragraph headings are for convenience only and shall not be considered a part of the terms and provisions of the Agreement.

20. Deferred Compensation . This Agreement has been prepared with reference to Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code and shall be interpreted and administered in a manner consistent with Section 409A.

21. Assignment Prohibited . Benefits hereunder shall not be subject in any manner to anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, attachment or garnishment by creditors of the Employee, the Employee’s beneficiary, or estate, and any attempt to anticipate, alienate, transfer, assign or attach the same shall be void. The Employee, the Employee’s beneficiary or estate shall only have a contractual right to benefits hereunder and shall have the status of general unsecured creditors.

* * * * * *

-13-



IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Company and Parent have caused this Agreement to be executed by an authorized officer, and Employee has hereunto set Employee's hand.

The Connecticut Water Company


April 1, 2014         By /s/ Kristen A. Johnson
Date
Connecticut Water Service, Inc.


April 1, 2014         By /s/ Kristen A. Johnson
Date

/s/ Craig J. Patla
April 1, 2014         Craig J. Patla
Date




-14-



ATTACHMENT A RELEASE

We advise you to consult an attorney before you sign this Release. You have until the date which is seven (7) days after the Release is signed and returned to ________________ ("Company") to change your mind and revoke your Release. Your Release shall not become effective or enforceable until after that date.

In consideration for the benefits provided under your Employment Agreement dated
    with Company and     ("Parent"), and more specifically enumerated in Exhibit 1 hereto, by your signature below you agree to accept such benefits and not to make any claims of any kind against Company, its past and present and future parent corporations, subsidiaries, divisions, subdivisions, affiliates and related companies or their successors and assigns, including without limitation Parent, or any and all past, present and future Directors, officers, fiduciaries or employees of any of the foregoing (all parties referred to in the foregoing are hereinafter referred to as the "Releasees") before any agency, court or other forum, and you agree to release the Releasees from all claims, known or unknown, arising in any way from any actions taken by the Releasees up to the date of this Release, including, without limiting the foregoing, any claim for wrongful discharge or breach of contract or any claims arising under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, Connecticut's Fair Employment Practices Act or any other federal, state or local statute or regulation and any claim for attorneys' fees, expenses or costs of litigation.

THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH MEANS THAT BY SIGNING THIS RELEASE YOU WILL HAVE WAIVED ANY RIGHT YOU MAY HAVE TO BRING A LAWSUIT OR MAKE ANY LEGAL CLAIM AGAINST THE RELEASEES BASED ON ANY ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE RELEASEES UP TO THE DATE OF THIS RELEASE.

By signing this Release, you further agree as follows:

1. You have read this Release carefully and fully understand its terms;

2. You have had at least twenty-one (21) days to consider the terms of the Release;

3. You have seven (7) days from the date you sign this Release to revoke it by written notification to Company. After this seven (7) day period, this Release is final and binding and may not be revoked;

4. You have been advised to seek legal counsel and have had an opportunity to do so;


1515


5. You would not otherwise be entitled to the benefits provided under your Employment Agreement with Company and Parent had you not agreed to waive any right you have to bring a lawsuit or legal claim against the Releasees; and

6. Your agreement to the terms set forth above is voluntary.


Name:     

Signature:         Date:                 

Received by:         Date:                 

1616



EXHIBIT 1

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

etc.

NOTE: THIS EXHIBIT IS TO BE COMPLETED AT THE TIME OF TERMINATION TO REFLECT ALL BENEFITS AND PAYMENTS MADE UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT.

Acknowledged and Agreed:

THE CONNECTICUT WATER COMPANY        EMPLOYEE


By                                                       
Its


CONNECTICUT WATER SERVICE             


By                              
Its







1717

DEFERRED COMPENSATION AGREEMENT

THIS DEFERRED COMPENSATION AGREEMENT (the “Deferred Compensation Agreement”) is made this first day of April 2014 and between The Connecticut Water Company, a Connecticut corporation (together with any affiliated companies hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Employer") and Craig J. Patla, a resident of Madison, Connecticut (hereinafter referred to as the "Employee").

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Company has extended an offer of employment to the Employee to serve as the Vice president – Service Delivery of the Company, commencing as of April 1, 2014; and

WHEREAS, the Company has determined that Employee is among a select group of management or highly compensated employees of the Employer; and

WHEREAS, the Employer and the Employee are willing to enter into this Agreement on the terms herein set forth, effective as of the date hereof;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual and dependent promises herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1. DEFERRED COMPENSATION . The Employee may file a written election with the Employer in the form attached to this Agreement or such other form as may be approved by the Employer to defer up to 12 percent (12%) of the Employee's salary. Such amount shall be credited to a Deferred Compensation Account as provided in Section 2 hereof. This election to defer the receipt of salary must be made before the beginning of the calendar year for which the salary is earned and shall remain in effect, unless terminated or changed, or until the date the Employee ceases to be an employee of the Employer. Any election termination or change of a deferral election must be made on a form provided by the Employer for such purpose and may only be made with respect to salary which will be earned on and after the January 1 following the Employer's receipt of such form provided that such form is received not later than the December 31 st prior to the applicable January 1.

2. DEFERRED COMPENSATION ACCOUNT . The Employer shall maintain on its books and records a Deferred Compensation Account to record its liability for future payments of deferred compensation and interest thereon required to be paid to the Employee or his beneficiary pursuant to this Agreement. However, the Employer shall not be required to segregate or earmark any of its assets for the benefit of the Employee or his beneficiary. The amount reflected in said Deferred Compensation Account shall be available for the Employer's general corporate purposes and shall be available to the Employer's general creditors. The amount reflected in said Deferred Compensation Account shall not be subject in any manner to anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, attachment or garnishment by creditors of the Employee or his beneficiary, and any attempt to

-1-



anticipate, alienate, transfer, assign or attach the same shall be void. Neither the Employee nor his beneficiary may assert any right or claim against any specific assets of the Employer. The Employee or his beneficiary shall have only a contractual right against the Employer for the amount reflected in said Deferred Compensation Account and shall have the status of general unsecured creditors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in order to pay amounts which may become due under this Agreement, the Employer may establish a grantor trust (hereinafter the "Trust") within the meaning of Section 671 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The assets in such Trust shall at all times be subject to the claims of the general creditors of the Employer in the event of the Employer's bankruptcy or insolvency, and neither the Employee nor any beneficiary shall have any preferred claim or right, or any beneficial ownership interest in, any such assets of the Trust prior to the time such assets are paid to the Employee or beneficiary pursuant to this Agreement.

The Employer shall credit to said Deferred Compensation Account the amount of any salary to which the Employee becomes entitled and which is deferred pursuant to Section 1 hereof, such amount to be credited as of the first business day of each month. The Employer shall also credit to said Deferred Compensation Account an Interest Equivalent in the amount and manner set forth in Section 3 hereof.

3.     PAYMENT OF DEFERRED COMPENSATION

(a)     Separation from Service On or After Attainment of Age 55 . If the Employee should separate from service on or after his attainment of age fifty-five (55) for any reason other than death or an account of “Cause” as defined in subsection (c) below, he shall be entitled to receive payment of the entire amount of his Deferred Compensation Account including an Interest Equivalent, as described below, in the form of an actuarially equivalent life annuity providing for equal annual payments for the life of the Employee. Such actuarially equivalent life annuity shall be computed on the basis of a mortality table that assumes a life expectancy of age eighty (80) and uses the Interest Factor described below (payment shall continue for the life of the Employee, even if the Employee continues to live past eighty (80)). If the Employee is a “specified employee” as that term is defined under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended, and regulations issued thereunder (collectively “Section 409A”) at the time of separation from service, the first annual annuity payment under this subsection shall be paid on the first day of the seventh month following the date of the Employee’s separation from service, and subsequent payments shall be made on anniversaries of that date. If the Employee is not a “specified employee” at the time of separation from service, the first annual payment under this subsection shall be paid on the first day of the month following the date of the Employee’s separation from service, and subsequent payments shall be made on anniversaries of that date.

There shall be credited to the Employee's Deferred Compensation Account as of each January 1 and July 1, commencing with January 1, 2015 until payment of such account begins, as additional deferred compensation, an Interest Equivalent equal to fifty percent (50%) of the product of (i) the AAA Corporate Bond Yield Averages published by Moody's Bond Survey for the Friday ending on or immediately preceding the applicable January 1 and July 1 plus four (4) percentage points (the "Interest Factor"), multiplied by (ii) the balance of the Employee's

-2-



Deferred Compensation Account, including the amount of Interest Equivalent previously credited to such Employee's account, as of the preceding day (i.e., December 31 or June 30). The Interest Factor used to compute the annuity payable upon the Employee's separation from service on or after his attainment of age fifty-five (55) shall be calculated based upon the Interest Factor as of the January 1 or July 1 immediately preceding the date of the Employee's separation from service, whichever shall fall nearer to the date of the Employee ' s separation from service.

(b) Separation from Service Prior to Attainment of Age 55 . If the Employee should separate from service prior to his attainment of age fifty-five (55) for any reason other than death or on account of "Cause" as defined in subsection (c) below, the Employee shall be entitled to receive payment in a lump sum of the entire amount of his Deferred Compensation Account, including the same Interest Equivalent as described in subsection (a) above. If the Employee is a “specified employee” as that term is defined under Section 409A at the time of separation from service, payment under this subsection shall be made on the date which is six (6) months following the date payment would otherwise be made pursuant to the following sentence. If the Employee is not a “specified employee” at the time of separation from service, payment under this subsection shall be made on the third (3 rd ) day following separation from service.

(c) Separation from Service for Cause .

(i)    If the employment of the Employee is terminated by the Employer for Cause, the Employee shall be entitled only to a return of amounts deferred pursuant to Section 1 hereof.

(ii)    If the Employee is so terminated on or after age 55, payment shall be made in accordance with the terms of Section 3(a) above. However, the Employee shall not be entitled to the Interest Equivalent for any years prior to such termination, and such Interest Equivalent shall not be included in determining Employee’s benefit hereunder. An Interest Factor shall be utilized in calculating the amount of the annuity payable in accordance with the last sentence of subsection (a) above.

(iii)    If the Employee is so terminated prior to attainment of age 55, payment of the return of amounts deferred (excluding any Interest Equivalent) shall be made in a lump sum. If the Employee is a “specified employee” as that term is defined under Section 409A at the time of separation from service, payment under this subsection shall be made on the date which is six (6) months following the date payment would otherwise be made pursuant to the following sentence. If the Employee is not a “specified employee” at the time of separation from service, payment under this subsection shall be made on the third (3 rd ) day following separation from service.

(iv)    As used in this Agreement, the term "Cause" shall mean:


-3-



(A)
the Employee's rendering, while employed by the Employer, of any services, assistance or advice, either directly or indirectly, to any person, firm or organization competing with, or in opposition to, the Employer;

(B)
the Employee's allowing, while employed by the Employer, any use of his name by any person, firm or organization competing with, or in opposition to, the Employer; or

(C)
willful misconduct by the Employee, including, but not limited to, the commission by the Employee of a felony or the perpetration by the Employee of a common law fraud upon the Employer.

(d) Death While Employed . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the foregoing, if the Employee should die while employed by the Employer, his beneficiary, designated pursuant to Section 4 hereof, shall receive in a lump sum, in lieu of the amount(s) otherwise payable to the Employee under this Agreement, a death benefit equal to the greater of (i) the Hypothetical Death Benefit, as defined in subsection (f) hereof, and (ii) the entire amount of his Deferred Compensation Account at the date of his death, assuming that an Interest Equivalent were credited to such account as of each January 1 and July 1, occurring after the first deferral hereunder until the date of death at the rate set forth in subsection (a) hereof. Such beneficiary shall receive such death benefit on the thirtieth (30 th ) day following the death of the Employee.

(e) Death After Separation from Service .

(i)    If the Employee should die after his separation from service, whether prior to or on or after attainment of age 55, and prior to the date on which payment of his Deferred Compensation Account has commenced in the form of an annuity in accordance with subsection (a) or has been paid in the form of a lump sum as provided in subsection (b), his beneficiary, designated pursuant to Section 4 hereof, shall receive in a lump sum, in lieu of the amount(s) otherwise payable to the Employee under this Agreement, a death benefit equal to the entire amount of the Employee's Deferred Compensation Account, including the same Interest Equivalent as described in subsection (a) above, at the date of his death, provided that the Employee's employment shall not have terminated on account of "Cause" as defined in subsection (c) hereof. In the event that the Employee should die after the termination of his employment for “Cause,” whether prior to or on or after attainment of age 55, and in either case prior to the date upon which payment of his Deferred Compensation Account has been made or has commenced, his beneficiary, designated pursuant to Section 4 hereof, shall receive a return of the amounts deferred (excluding any Interest Equivalent). No Interest Equivalent shall be credited to the Employee ' s Deferred Compensation Account in the event of the Employee's death after his termination on account of "Cause" as provided in subsection (c) hereof. In either case, the Employee's beneficiary shall receive such death benefit on the thirtieth (30 th ) day following the death of the Employee.

-4-




(ii)    If the Employee should die after his separation from service with the Employer on or after attainment of age 55 (not on account of “Cause”) and after the date on which payment of his Deferred Compensation Account and the Interest Equivalent set forth in subsection (a) hereof has commenced in the form of an annuity as provided in subsection (a), no additional benefits shall be payable under this Agreement after the Employee's death except to the extent that the Employee did not receive prior to his death benefits in an amount equal to or greater than the Employee’s Deferred Compensation Account plus any Interest Equivalent credited thereto, as of the date of the Employee’s death. If the Employee dies prior to receiving benefits equal to or greater than the Employee’s Deferred Compensation Account plus any Interest Equivalent credited thereto as of the date of the Employee’s death, his beneficiary shall be entitled to a lump sum payment, thirty (30) days following Employee’s death, equal to the difference between benefits paid to the Employee hereunder and the Employee’s Deferred Compensation account, plus any Interest Equivalent credited thereto, as of the date of the Employee’s death.

(iii)    If the Employee should die after his separation from service with the Employer on or after attainment of age 55 on account of “Cause” and after the date payments have commenced to his in the form of an annuity as provided in subsection (c), no additional benefits shall be payable under this Agreement after the Employee’s death except to the extent the Employee did not receive prior to his death benefits in an amount equal to or greater than the amounts deferred (excluding any Interest Equivalent earned while employed). In such event, his beneficiary shall be entitled to a lump sum payment, thirty (30) days following Employee’s death, equal to the difference between benefits paid to the Employee hereunder and the amounts deferred (excluding any Interest Equivalent earned while employed).

(iv)    If the Employee should die after his separation from service with the Employer and after the date on which payment has been paid to him in the form of a lump sum pursuant to subsection (b) or (c), no additional benefits shall be payable upon the Employee's death.

(f) Hypothetical Death Benefit . For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Hypothetical Death Benefit” shall mean a lump sum benefit equal to the proceeds of any policy of key-man life insurance on the life of the Employee, of which the Employer is owner and beneficiary, and which policy is designated by the Employer as subject to the provisions hereof, reduced by (i) the amount of any tax imposed on the Employer with respect to such proceeds and (ii) the cost to the Employer of any tax deductions postponed as a result of salary deferrals pursuant to Section 1 hereof and increased by (iii) the tax deduction to the Employer which would result from payment of the Hypothetical Death Benefit to a beneficiary of the Employee. For purposes of (ii) above, an opportunity cost factor of six (6) percent pre-tax interest will be applied during the period of postponed deductions under (ii). The calculation of the Hypothetical Death Benefit shall be done by the Employer, whose calculation shall be final and binding on the Employee and his beneficiary. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Employer

-5-



shall not be required to purchase a policy of key-man life insurance on the life of any Employee, and any such policy purchased by the Employer, and all proceeds thereof, shall remain at all times available to the Employer's general creditors.

(g) Termination of Employment . In order for the Employee to be considered to have terminated employment with the Employer, the Employee must have incurred a separation from service from the Employer (and all related companies) within the meaning of Section 409A, and the term termination of employment shall be construed and interpreted in a manner consistent with the term separation from service.

4.     BENEFICIARY . The Employee has notified or will in the future notify the Employer of the person or persons entitled to receive payments on the death of the Employee. For the purposes of this Agreement, such person or persons are herein referred to collectively as the "beneficiary." The person whom an Employee designates as his beneficiary for this purpose must be one of the following: the Employee ' s spouse; father, mother, sister, brother, son or daughter. The beneficiary may also be a legal ward living with and dependent on the Employee at the time of his death. If the Employee dies and has not designated a beneficiary, his beneficiary shall be his spouse, if living; otherwise, his beneficiary shall be deemed to be his estate. An Employee's beneficiary designation may be changed at any time by the Employee giving written notice to the Employer of such change. The rights of any beneficiary presently or hereafter designated are subject to any changes made in this Agreement by the Employee and the Employer.

5. WITHHOLDING . The Employer shall be permitted to withhold from any payment to the Employee or his beneficiary hereunder all federal, state or other taxes which may be required with respect to such payment.

6. ARBITRATION . In the event that a dispute shall arise with respect to any of the provisions of this Agreement, either the Employer or the Employee or his beneficiary, as the case may be, may give written notice to the other stating the claims that said party desires to arbitrate, and naming an arbitrator. Within ten (10) days after the receipt of such notice, the party receiving same shall appoint a second arbitrator by written notice to be sent to the party who requested arbitration. Within ten (10) days after receipt of such notice of appointment of the second arbitrator, the two (2) arbitrators so appointed shall meet to select a third arbitrator and shall give written notice of such selection to the Employer and the Employee or his beneficiary. The decision of a majority of the arbitrators shall be conclusive and binding upon the Employer and the Employee or his beneficiary. All notices hereunder shall be by registered mail addressed to the last known address of the party entitled to receive notice. The Employer and the Employee shall each pay their own costs incurred in the arbitration proceeding.


-6-



7.     MISCELLANEOUS .

(a) This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto, their heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The Employer agrees that it will not be a party to any merger, consolidation or reorganization unless and until its obligations hereunder shall be expressly assumed by its successor or successors.

(b) This Agreement may be amended at any time by mutual written agreement of the parties hereto, but no amendment shall operate to give the Employee, or any beneficiary designated by him, either directly or indirectly, any interest whatsoever in any funds or assets of the Employer, except the right to receive the payments herein provided.

(c) Deferrals under this Agreement may be suspended by the Employer effective as of any January 1, following the time that tax or other laws are enacted or interpreted which result or will result in costs to the Employer significantly in excess of those contemplated at the time of the execution hereof. In the event of such suspension, the Employer ' s sole obligation shall be to pay to the Employee in accordance with Section 3 above. In no event may deferrals be ceased during a calendar year by action of either the Employer or the Employee, or both.

(d) This Agreement shall not supersede any contract of employment, whether oral or written, between the Employer and the Employee, nor shall it affect or impair the rights and obligations of the Employer and the Employee, respectively, thereunder. Nothing contained herein shall impose any obligation on the Employer to continue the employment of the Employee.

(e) If Moody's Bond Survey shall cease to publish the Corporate Bond Yield Averages referred to in Section 3 hereof, a similar average selected by the Board of Directors of the Employer, in its sole discretion, shall be used.

(f) This Agreement shall be executed in duplicate, and each executed copy of this Agreement shall be deemed an original.

(g) This Agreement shall be construed in all respects under the laws of the State of Connecticut, subject to applicable federal law.

(h) This Agreement has been prepared with reference to Section 409A and should be interpreted and administered in a manner consistent with Section 409A.

(i) This Agreement is effective as of April 1, 2014.


-7-




* * * * * *

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed, as of the day and year first above written.

THE CONNECTICUT WATER COMPANY


April 1, 2014                     By /s/ Kristen A. Johnson
Date                        Name: Kristen A. Johnson
Title:    VP, Human Resources and
Corporate Secretary


April 1, 2014                      /s/ Craig J. Patla
Date                        Craig J. Patla


-8-



Exhibit 31.1

Certification of Chief Executive Officer

I, Eric W. Thornburg, certify that:

1.
I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. (the “registrant”).

2.
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report.

3.
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report.

4.
The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)), for the registrant and have:

(a)
Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

(b)
Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

(c)
Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

(d)
Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5.
The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

(a)
All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

(b)
Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

/s/ Eric W. Thornburg
Eric W. Thornburg
President and Chief Executive Officer
May 8, 2014




Exhibit 31.2

Certification of Chief Financial Officer

I, David C. Benoit, certify that:

1.  I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. (the “registrant”).

2.
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report.

3.
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report.

4.
The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)), for the registrant and have:

(a)
Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

(b)
Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

(c)
Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

(d)
Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5.
The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

(a)
All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

(b)
Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.



/s/ David C. Benoit
David C. Benoit
Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President – Finance
May 8, 2014





Exhibit 32
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. Section 1350
As Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

In connection with the Quarterly Report of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-Q for the period ending March 31, 2014 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), the undersigned, Eric W. Thornburg, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and David C. Benoit, the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, do each hereby certify, to the best of his knowledge, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

(1)
The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2)
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

/s/ Eric W. Thornburg
Eric W. Thornburg
May 8, 2014


/s/ David C. Benoit
David C. Benoit
May 8, 2014