Watershed Management for Urban Water Supply

Why use NYC as a case study? Comprehensive, long-range watershed protection program Illustrates a multifaceted strategy to protect and improve water quality for a variety of stakeholders Successfully integrates upstream/downstream users Shows that voluntary partnerships can protect water quality as effectively as regulatory restrictions Implements locally-based (community) watershed protection programs Whole Farm management concept Links water quality protection goals with economic objectives

Key Water & Water-related Policies Schematic of the IWRM Process Resources Assessment & Analysis Resource Allocation Strategy Development Objectives Use Assessment & Analysis Resource Development & Management Plan Implementation & Monitoring Review & Evaluation Stakeholder Input Donor Input Other Input

NYC Water Supply System Serves 9 million people Supplies 1.4 billion gallons of water per day Filtration cost = $8 billion Watershed Management Program = $507 million

NYC Watershed 1,969 sq. miles (5,041 sq. km) An area the size of Delaware 19 reservoirs 3 controlled lakes 550 billion gallon storage capacity Croton System (serves 10%) Catskill/Delaware System (serves 90%) 500 farms 60 towns Majority of land is forested 61% of forestland is privately owned

Involvement of US EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requires filtration Waived filtration requirement in 1993 Formalized the NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection Watershed Protection Program Provides oversight and technical assistance in watershed management Provides grants for rebuilding treatment facilities

A Diversity of Stakeholders Upstate users, the day-to-day stewards of water quality –dairy and livestock farmers –towns, villages –forestry industry –park visitors Downstream users, NY City dwellers

Stakeholders Building Contractor Association of Westchester & the Mid-Hudson River Catskill Center Catskill Committee of the Sierra Club City Club of New York City of New York Coalition of Watershed Towns (representing all towns in the five west of Hudson counties) Congressmen and congresswomen Environmental Defense Fund Hudson Riverkeeper Natural Resources Defense Council NY State Bar Association, Environmental Law Committee NY State Dept. of Environmental Conservation NY State Dept. of Health Pure Water Alliance Putnam County Legislature Sierra Club - NYC group U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Westchester County Woodstock Times/Huguenot and Highland Herald Publisher New York City Water Others

Major Water Quality Problems Bacteria Cryptosporidium Giardia fertilizers pesticides

The Need to Mitigate at the Source Position Statements Well-managed forests provide the most beneficial land cover for water quality protection –ability to capture nutrients –high filtration capacity Agricultural lands can be managed to minimize nutrients, pollutants, and pathogens in runoff

Solutions (technical, environmental, institutional, social...) Septic system inspection and rehabilitation Construction of new, centralized sewage systems to improve water quality Extension of sewer systems to correct existing water quality problems Stormwater management measures environmental education improved storage of sand, salt and de-icing materials Stream corridor protection projects

Implementation Upgrade water supply and wastewater treatment facilities Land Acquisition and Stewardship programs Watershed Protection and Partnership programs Watershed regulations $507 million

Land Acquisition and Stewardship Programs NY Dept. of Env. Conservation issued permit for city to acquire via purchase: conservation easements, sensitive land near reservoirs, wetlands, or watercourses $250 million in the Catskill/Delaware System $17.5 million in the Croton System Incorporates a local consultation process which allows exclusion of parcels from acquisition

Watershed Protection and Partnership Programs Promote and institutionalize watershed-wide cooperation and planning Provide for the establishment of locally based watershed protection initiatives to build strong working relationships between the City and its upstate neighbors

Watershed Regulations Replace 44-year old standards Establish standards for the design, construction and operation of wastewater treatment plants Set design standards and setback requirements for septic systems Require the implementation of stormwater control measures Provide for City review and approval of certain activities having a potentially adverse impact on water quality Impose strict time frames for City review and decision-making Enable the need to expedite review procedures in case of emergency and rights of appeals Research and monitoring

Watershed Regulations Replace 44-year old standards Establish standards for the design, construction and operation of wastewater treatment plants Set design standards and setback requirements for septic systems Require the implementation of stormwater control measures Provide for City review and approval of certain activities having a potentially adverse impact on water quality Impose strict time frames for City review and decision-making Enable the need to expedite review procedures in case of emergency and rights of appeals Research and monitoring

Key Water & Water-related Policies Schematic of the IWRM Process Resources Assessment & Analysis Resource Allocation Strategy Development Objectives Use Assessment & Analysis Resource Development & Management Plan Implementation & Monitoring Review & Evaluation Stakeholder Input Donor Input Other Input