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Special Instructions for Water and Sewer Applications and Permits

May 7, 2021

All applications must now be submitted electronically.

Our Bureau of Water & Sewer Operations (BWSO) is no longer accepting paper applications at this time. Paper applications mailed to our office will not be processed. Only backflow prevention annual test reports will be accepted as hard copies via mail.

Borough Records Offices

To ensure the safety of our visitors during the COVID-19 public health emergency, our water and sewer records offices in all five boroughs will reopen one day per week BY APPOINTMENT ONLY beginning on May 24, 2021. To schedule an appointment, please call your local records office on Mondays or Tuesdays, as appointments are limited:

  • Manhattan (open Mondays): (212) 602-7550
  • Queens (open Tuesdays): (718) 520-2020/ 2022/ 2023
  • Brooklyn (open Wednesdays): (718) 923-2671/2675
  • Bronx (open Thursdays): (718) 466-3881
  • Staten Island (open Fridays): (718) 876-6820

Appointments will be scheduled for the following week on the day your local office is open. You must have an appointment to enter our records offices and you must wear a mask or face covering, as required by a New York State Executive Order. DEP has worked to minimize risks to both our visitors and our staff by installing protective plexiglass at all our counters and by discontinuing walk-in service to facilitate appropriate social distancing.

Please review updated instructions for emergency and non-emergency permits and applications.

Emergency Permits

  • To set up an appointment for emergency permits involving connections, call 718-595-5762 or 4238, or email acosentino@dep.nyc.gov
  • Permits available online through WSPS: New Sewer Connection and Sewer Plugs
  • Permits available online through PARIS: Water Repair; Water Relay; Sewer Repair; Sewer Relay

Meters and Hydrants

Please email applications for non-emergency meter permits (relocation, new installation, replacement), hydrant connections, and RPZs to queenspermits@dep.nyc.gov.

Tap; Wet Connections; Tap & Plug; Wet Connection & Plug; Water Plugs

  • A Licensed Master Plumber (LMP) should submit applications to bwsolocaloffices@dep.nyc.gov.
  • LMPs should ensure they have funds in their Customer Information System (CIS) accounts to cover the costs of permits (download the WSPS Payment Presentation for instructions).
  • Permit application approvals could be delayed by an additional five days.
  • Once the application is approved, permits will be issued over email.

Backflow Prevention Plans, Applications, and Test Reports

Applicants must submit scans of backflow prevention plans and applications to connections@dep.nyc.gov. All files should be in PDF format (single PDF preferred), either scanned or exported. We will review the materials and send approvals, objections, or corrections via email. The application fee must be mailed to the office at the time of the electronic submission. Please print and fill out this cover letter and attach it to the check/money order for the application fee. Please be sure to include the contact information for the applicant and project information, including the complete address, borough, block and lot numbers. The application fee and cover letter must be mailed to us at:

NYC DEP
BWSO-Connections and Permitting
Cross-Connection Control Unit
59-17 Junction Boulevard, 3rd Floor Low Rise
Flushing, NY 11373

As soon as we receive the fee by mail, DEP will approve the scanned application and email the applicant.

Backflow Prevention Device Annual Test Reports

DEP will now only be accepting hard copies of required Annual Test Reports for backflow prevention devices. Please mail reports to:

NYC DEP
Attn: Cross Connection Control Unit
59-17 Junction Blvd, 3rd Floor, Low Rise
Flushing, NY 11373

The mailing address can also be found at the bottom of the GEN215b form.

Site Connection Proposals and House Connection Proposals

Applicants must submit scans of site or house connection proposals, plans and supporting documents to sewerinfo@dep.nyc.gov. All files should be in PDF format, either scanned or exported. The subject line of all emails MUST be:

  • Site Connection Proposal – Digital Recordkeeping Submittal – <Address> <Block> <Lot(s)> x/y***
    • or
  • House Connection Proposal – Digital Recordkeeping Submittal – <Address> <Block> <Lot(s)> x/y***

In your submission, please include:

  • The cover letter, explaining the submission
  • The application form, attachment ‘F’ (if necessary), and site plan
  • Survey, completed within two years of the submission date
  • The tentative lot sheet (RP-602) (if applicable)
  • The boring log (if applicable)
  • Any draft legal documents (if applicable)
  • Any other document not listed above which is typically submitted with the application

We will review the materials and send any objections or corrections via email. If no corrections are needed, we will send an email requesting the review fee.

  • The application fee must be mailed to the office after receiving confirmation of application approval. You must use this cover letter to submit the review fee.

    Please send application fees by mail to:

    NYC DEP
    Attn: Mark Safari
    Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations
    Connections and Permits
    3rd Floor Low Rise
    59-17 Junction Boulevard
    Flushing, NY 11373
  • The check/money order for the filing fee must be attached to a cover letter with contact information for the applicant, the project information including the complete address, borough, block and lot, as well as the SCP/HCP number if available.

As soon as the fee is received by mail, DEP will approve the scanned application and email to the applicant.

*In order to receive certification, you must send us the normal number of paper copies of the associated documents, per the normal process, along with the review fee. This policy does not replace paper submissions.
**If emails are not sent in the format above, it will cause a delay in the review of your project. Additionally, if electronic versions of your application are not sent, or sent with incomplete files, it will cause a delay in the review of your project.
***We have a hard 20 megabyte (MB) limit on files sent or received by our email server. If the files associated with your project exceed 20 MB (in total), please send us multiple emails, and indicate in the subject line “x/y” where “x” is the number of that email, and “y” is the number of total emails to be sent.