NYSDOH Announces Hearings on Proposed NYC Watershed Rules

Albany, November 7 --- The New York State Department of Health today announced that it will hold two public hearings on the City of New York's proposed revised rules and regulations for protection of the City's water supply and its sources from contamination, degradation and pollution.

The hearings will be conducted by the Health Department to gather public comment before the Commissioner of Health acts on the proposed rules and regulations. The State Public Health law requires New York City to obtain the approval of the State Commissioner of Health in order for the rules and regulations to become effective.

The schedule is as follows:

November 13, 1996 - 6:00 p.m.
Westchester County Center
198 Central Avenue
White Plains, NY
November 14, 1996 - 6:00 p.m.
Margaretville Central School
Main Street
Margaretville, NY

New York City is conducting its own series of public hearings on the proposed rules and regulations. The purpose of the State Health Department hearings is to obtain public comment on the proposed City Watershed rules and regulations contained in an agreement reached by the State, New York City, the Coalition of Watershed Towns, the Environmental Protection Agency, Westchester and Putnam counties and certain environmental groups. The agreement is the result of Governor George E. Pataki bringing all the parties together to resolve various issues concerning the City's Watershed, including the proposed Watershed regulations, in a manner which would protect the drinking water of nine million New Yorkers while preserving the economic vitality of the upstate Watershed communities.

Copies of the Watershed Protection agreement are available on the New York State Home Page on the Internet. The address is http://www.state.ny.us or by calling (518) 474-1310.

Individuals wishing to speak on the proposed Watershed rules and regulations at any of these hearings may sign up by calling the Health Department at (518) 458-6731 in advance or by registering at the time of the hearing. Each speaker will be allowed five minutes. Organizations are asked to present their comments at only one of the hearings in order to allow time for other speakers to express their comments. Written comments may be submitted at the time of the hearing or by mail until November 15, 1996, to the following address: Michael E. Burke, P.E., Director, NYS Department of Health, Bureau of Public Water Supply, Room 410, II University Place, Albany, New York 12203-3313.

New York City's proposed Watershed rules and regulations, which apply to the City's Catskill/Delaware and Croton Watersheds, are intended to protect public water supply sources by controlling the storage, discharge or release of contaminants. The City must revise and update the existing rules and regulations as a condition for maintaining the EPA's approval of filtration avoidance of the City's Catskill/Delaware Watershed. The City also intends to improve the quality of the water coming from its Croton Watershed. The proposed new Watershed rules and regulations would replace those adopted in 1953 by what was then the City's Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity and promulgated by the State Health Department as part of the State Sanitary Code.

11/07/96-136 OPA

Contact: Robert Hinckley, Director, Public Affairs (518) 474-7354
New York State Department of Health