septic
systems Septic systems are used to treat wastewater from
homes and small businesses that aren't served by sewer systems and
treatment plants, the case in many rural and suburban areas. Very
old and failing systems threaten both groundwater and surface water
quality. more >
stormwater
Rain and snow generate stormwater runoff that flows over the surface
of saturated soils and over non-porous or impervious surfaces like
roof tops and parking lots. Many contaminants, like fine sediment,
metals, oils, nutrients from fertilizers and bacteria, are located
on the surface. They’re easily dislodged and carried by stormwater
into storm sewers, watercourses and eventually into drinking water
supply reservoirs. Studies have shown that under certain circumstances,
runoff generated during the first hour of moderate-to-high intensity
storm events, commonly referred to as the first-flush, can have
a greater pollutant concentration than raw sewage. It’s this
first-flush that New York City’s many stormwater management
programs are designed to treat. more
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wastewater
facilities Wastewater treatment facilities, which process
both sewage and stormwater, are a focal point of New York City’s
watershed protection efforts. There are 103 non-City-owned treatment
plants in the 1,972 square mile watershed; all but 34 are located
in the densely-populated counties of Putnam and Westchester, east
of the Hudson River. The City owns six wastewater treatment plants
(WWTPs) in the watershed. To ensure that the treated wastewater,
called effluent, that’s discharged into watershed streams
is as clean as possible, the City, under the 1997 MOA, provided
for the funding of improvements to the existing 103 plants to meet
the standards set by the 1997 Watershed Regulations. more
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sand & salt storage
A major contributor to water quality pollution from stormwater runoff
is the sand, salt and other de-icing materials that are used on
roadways during snow and ice storms. While the materials have to
be used, the way that they’re stored has a big impact on their
ultimate effect on water quality. The City’s 1997 Watershed
Regulations set out specific standards for the storage of more than
1000 pounds of road de-icing materials with a salt content greater
than 8%, and the MOA provided $10.25 million to fund the construction
of new storage structures to prevent leaching and runoff at the
site. more >
regulatory programs
In 1997, New York City issued its first new regulations of activities
in the upstate watersheds since 1953. In an effort to protect the
New York City reservoirs from the harmful effects of high levels
of phosphorus, the 1997 Watershed Regulations limit new man-made
sources of phosphorus into reservoirs that already exceed the phosphorus
water quality guidance value. In addition, DEP is also an Involved
Agency on many major projects during the SEQRA process. more
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Watershed
Protection
septic
systems
stormwater
wastewater
facilities