Watershed protection for a world city: the case of New York

New York Cityʹs water supply system provides 5 billion liters/day to 9 million people from unfiltered surface sources. Since the early 1990s, the city has avoided federal requirements to filter its drinking water for public health purposes. Filtration avoidance stems from an unprecedented experiment in watershed management that has significant effects on land use in rural source regions. This article examines the historic transformation of the institutional apparatus of New Yorkʹs water supply system and the land-use implications of its watershed protection program. Emphasis is placed on the multiple stakeholders who negotiate disparate interests concerning water supply, economic development, and environmental stewardship.