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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 17-61
July 18, 2017
deppressoffice@dep.nyc.gov, (718) 595-6600

NYC Water Bowls for Pets Being Distributed at Water-On-the-Go Fountains at Queens Borough Hall Today

NYC Water Dog Bowls

Bowls Will Be Distributed On a First Come, First Served Basis at Select Water-On-the-Go Fountains

Photos are Available on DEP’s Flickr Page

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that it will be distributing 2,000 reusable, collapsible water bowls this summer at select Water-On-the-Go fountains. These bright blue NYC Water bowls will provide pet owners with a healthy, environmentally friendly way for their animal companions to beat the heat and lap up some of New York City’s award winning tap water. The reusable bowls will be given out today, for the first time, at the Water-On-the-Go fountains set up outside of Queens Borough Hall. New Yorkers must have their pet with them in order to receive a water bowl.

“Summer in New York City can be tough for pets so we hope these reusable NYC Water bowls will help keep them hydrated and cool,” said DEP Acting Commissioner Vincent Sapienza. “In addition to providing award winning tap water to New Yorkers and their animal companions, the Water-On-the-Go program provides an opportunity to educate the public about our complex water supply system that delivers a billion gallons of healthy drinking water to the city each day.”

After today’s initial giveaway outside of Queens Borough Hall, the bowls will be available on a first come, first served basis at select portable NYC Water drinking fountain set up during the New York City Department of Transportation’s Summer Streets celebration, being held on three consecutive Saturdays in August. Both owner and pet must be present in order to qualify for a collapsible NYC Water bowl.

In addition to Summer Streets, DEP operates fountains at flagship locations such as Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1, Union Square and City Hall. The portable fountains will also be set up at the Queens Botanical Garden, the Bronx Museum of the Arts, and Staten Island Borough Hall. A weekly schedule with detailed times and locations is available on the DEP website. DEP has also collaborated with community groups and green markets, including GrowNYC, to identify strategic locations in all five boroughs to expand the reach and accessibility of the program. Some highlight events that have featured Water-On-the-Go fountains thus far this season include Solstice in Times Square: Mind Over Madness Yoga, the NYC Pride March, and the Disability Pride Parade.

Also new this year, a giant map, “New York City’s Water Story: From Mountain Top to Tap” (PDF), which details the path of the New York City Water Supply System, is being featured on canvas backdrops affixed to each bright blue NYC Water tent.

Drinking tap water is the environmentally responsible way to stay hydrated as the production of plastic water bottles for use in the United States consumes 1.5 million barrels of oil a year—enough to power 250,000 homes or 100,000 cars all year. At approximately one penny per gallon, tap water is about 1,000 times less expensive than bottled water. New York City is fortunate to be able to enjoy some of the best drinking water in the nation. Each day, approximately 1 billion gallons of fresh, clean water is delivered from upstate reservoirs—some more than 125 miles from the City—to the taps of more than 9 million customers throughout New York State. New York City is one of only five large cities in the country permitted to run a largely unfiltered drinking water supply, due in large part to the City’s comprehensive watershed protection programs. In addition, DEP has a robust water quality monitoring program, testing the water at every step along its journey, from the streams that feed the reservoirs to the 1,000 sampling locations throughout the five boroughs. In total, DEP conducts more than 630,000 analyses of the water annually. To learn more about NYC Water, read the 2016 Drinking Water Quality Report (PDF). NYC Water is also a healthy alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages, containing zero calories, zero sugar, and zero fat. A typical 16-ounce bottle of soda contains about 180 calories and 20 cubes of sugar. Sports drinks, marketed as healthy alternatives, have as many calories as sugary beverages and usually contain high levels of sodium.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing more than one billion gallons of water each day to more than nine million residents, including eight million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP has nearly 6,000 employees, including almost 1,000 in the upstate watershed. In addition, DEP has a robust capital program, with a planned $20.7 billion in investments over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.
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