More on New York’s Drinking Water Source Protection Program

Program Goals and Focus

The Drinking Water Source Protection Program (DWSP2) was created by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and New York State Department of Health (DOH) as a means of providing assistance to municipalities. The main focus of this program is to ensure that state residents are readily able to access clean drinking water.

Municipalities that enter into the program are paired with a technical assistance provider, who works with them throughout the process of developing a drinking water source protection plan to preserve the water source, both at present and in the future.

Any community public water supplies in New York State are eligible to apply for assistance through the DWSP2.

Steps that municipalities participating in the DWSP2 can expect to complete include:

• Developing a map of the drinking water source and areas around it
• Assessing contamination levels in areas around the drinking water source
• Planning various actions that can be taken to protect the source
• Determining the best funding options to support the DWSP2 plan
• Beginning implementation of the DWSP2 plan

Participating in the DWSP2 and forming a source protection plan can lead to the following benefits:

• Cost savings
• Greater public faith in drinking water
• Improved human and environmental health

Visit DEC’s page on the DWSP2 for complete information on this program and to access the application.

Walden’s Role in the DWSP2

Walden has experience helping a municipal client to achieve the goals established by the DWSP2 and has successfully developed and implemented a source protection plan to improve the quality of water available to the community. Specifically, a municipal village in the Hudson Valley retained Walden to be a part of the village’s stakeholder group, which was formed to help develop the community’s unique drinking water source protection plan.

According to the DEC, a positive result of the village’s participation in the DWSP2 was the realization that the drinking water was more safeguarded than the community initially thought. Mapping showed that surface water runoff was redirected away from drinking water reservoirs, reducing the risk of contamination. Additionally, members of the stakeholder group had the opportunity to tour the water treatment plant, giving them a deeper understanding of how their water is treated and supplied.

To learn more about Walden’s work to help our client develop a DWSP2 plan, visit our previous blog here.

Walden Is Here to Help

If you are interested in applying to receive free technical assistance to develop and implement a drinking water source protection plan, make sure to submit your application by Friday, February 28 at 4 pm.

Walden’s experienced consultants are available to discuss your community’s drinking water needs. Contact us today at 516-980-5508 for more information!