Summary

Overall, the City has successfully satisfied the obligations specified in the 2007 FAD. For most programs, the City has met deadlines and, at times, even exceeded expectations. Notable accomplishments have been achieved in the Land Acquisition Program, in which the City has exceeded solicitation targets and, along with its partners, has successfully protected more than 41,000 additional watershed acres since the beginning of the 2007 FAD period. The Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Upgrade Program has achieved functional completion for all WWTPs that required upgrading in the West-of-Hudson (WOH) and East-of-Hudson (EOH) Catskill and Delaware watersheds. The Watershed Agricultural Program has successfully enrolled 96% of the large farms WOH and nearly all of these have developed Whole Farm Plans for addressing pollutant sources on farmlands. However, some FAD program elements have experienced delays in implementation. In many cases, these delays were due to circumstances outside of the City's control or due to extreme weather conditions. NYSDOH and EPA have generally accepted the City's explanations and justifications in such cases. The wastewater management projects have taken longer to complete than expected, due in large part to the extensive coordination needed between the City and the communities on both technical and administrative matters. In the Stream Management Program, some stream restoration projects were delayed due to wet weather conditions, which precluded stream access.

NYSDOH and EPA believe that the City has a comprehensive and robust watershed protection program, which, overall, is being effectively implemented by the City and its partners. The City continues to provide drinking water to NYC and upstate consumers that meets all requirements of the Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR).