How much do you know about NYC's complex water supply system?

The Controversy Over New York City's Water Supply

• In 1995, a Congressional Act targeting the safety of the nation's water supply systems led to attention being focused on the current state of New York City's water supply.
• New York City's water supply system grew from a series of local reservoirs to complex aqueduct systems that carried water to the City from upstate New York.
• The system encompasses over 5000 square kilometers across eight counties and stretches downstate to NYC via a complex of aqueducts and tunnels.
• The system supplies water to nearly half of the population of New York State, including residents, businesses, commuters, and tourists.
• Increasing human population and development in watershed communities exert pressure on natural water flows that supply the water supply system.
• Expanding populations in New York City exert pressure on the system in order to supply a growing downstate need.
• Prior to the 1980s, drinking water from the Catskill/Delaware watersheds and the Croton water supply system was unfiltered.
• In the late 1980s, public health concerns regarding outbreaks of waterborne illnesses across the country raised awareness of water quality and health issues.
• In response, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1986 and the EPA promulgated the Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR) to protect drinking water sources against microbial contamination.
• NYC was faced with a choice between two options: filter the water or satisfy the provisions of the SWTR for unfiltered water.
• The controversy over the New York City water supply is about balancing the drinking water needs of millions of people with the needs of watershed communities.
• Pressures from all sides, along with the prospect of extensive litigation and political maneuvering, are threatening to destabilize years of progress on the safety of the water from upstate watersheds.