New York City Department of Environmental Protection

About New York City Department of Environmental Protection

The Department of Environmental Protection protects and maintain the City's drinking water supply of nine million City and upstate residents; treats wastewater at 23 water pollution control facilities in the five boroughs and the upstate watershed region; transports a daily average of of 1.3 billion gallons of drinking water to consumers; and treats approximately 1.4 billion gallons of wastewater daily. The Department is charged with meeting federal and state water quality mandates in both its drinking water quality distribution and wastewater treatment processes. In addition, the Deparment promotes citywide conservation. The Department maintains and operates three daily watersheds that cover nearly 2,000 square miles with a reserve of 550 billion gallons of water in 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. To ensure the highest quality and future integrity of the City's water supply, a comprehensive watershed protection program has been developed. In addition, the Department enforces city air, noise and pollution control codes. It is responsible for meeting governmental air-quality standards, enforcing asbestos abatement rules, responding to hazardous material emergencies, and conducting toxic site remediation. The Department also plays a key role in promoting pollution prevention, energy conservation, and environmental education. The City's Environmental Control Board, which adjudicates quality of life violations involving clean streets and air, water, and noise pollution, is a bureau within the Department of Environmental Protection.