Greenwich Utility Watch was started in early 2026 by a Greenwich resident who kept noticing something that didn't seem right: utility poles around town that looked temporary, unstable, or just plain shoddy — and had apparently been that way for years.
The specific incidents that prompted this project: poles that had been “sistered” — a second pole installed directly next to a cracked original, often planted right in the middle of a sidewalk. And in at least one case, a pole base that appeared to consist of scrap 2×4 lumber laid on bare dirt, left in place for over two years.
After noticing that NBC Connecticut had been investigating the same issue statewide — reporting that Connecticut's utilities count more than 21,000 double poles — it seemed like the right moment to start documenting what's happening specifically in Greenwich.
State legislators tried to fix this. A 2026 bill, SB 421, would have created an official statewide system for reporting double poles, with fines for poles left standing too long. It won bipartisan committee approval in March 2026 but died without a Senate vote when the session ended in May. So today there is still no official place for residents to report a problem pole and see what happens next. This site is an attempt to fill that gap for our town.
This site is that documentation effort. Anyone can submit a photo and location. The goal is to build a public record that can be shared with town officials, state legislators, and utility regulators — not to attack anyone, but to invite a real conversation about maintaining our town's infrastructure thoughtfully and sustainably.
Want to help beyond submitting a report?
Call Eversource at 1-800-286-2000 for the pole itself or the top (electric) wires, and Frontier at 1-800-921-8101 for the lower (phone/communications) wires — that split is who actually owns what. Note the date and the name of the person you spoke with.
If nothing happens, escalate to the state regulator: PURA takes complaints at portal.ct.gov/pura or 1-800-382-4586.
NBC Connecticut is also collecting reports at shareit@nbcconnecticut.com
This project was built entirely using Claude and Claude Code by someone with no web development experience. If you notice any issues with the site, please get in touch at contact@greenwichutilitywatch.org.