DEC AND DOH ANNOUNCE 16 NEW MUNICIPALITIES RECEIVE FREE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PROTECT DRINKING WATER SOURCES

 

State Agencies Update Drinking Water Source Protection Framework to Better Assist Communities at No Cost

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton and State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Dr. James McDonald announced 16 new municipalities will receive free technical assistance to help protect public drinking water sources through the Drinking Water Source Protection Program (DWSP2). The multi-agency initiative, led by DEC and DOH in collaboration with the Departments of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) and State (DOS), empowers municipalities to take critical actions to improve and protect public drinking water sources and the environment. 

“With the success of the Drinking Water Source Protection Program, New York under Governor Hochul is helping more communities across the state receive free technical assistance that protects public drinking water and conserves water supplies for future generations,” DEC Commissioner Lefton said. “DEC and our partner agencies’ are commitment to delivering critical programs like this one aimed at protecting drinking water at its source.” 

“Technical support through the Drinking Water Source Protection Program enables municipalities to navigate the planning process for critically important projects that will safeguard the health of their community,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “We are proud to offer this assistance at no cost, and we thank our partners for their collaborative leadership in protecting drinking water sources and public health.” 

In addition, to better assist communities, DEC and DOH completed revisions on the latest version of the Drinking Water Source Protection Program Framework 2025,a guidance document that technical assistance providers will use to help each community create and implement a local drinking water source protection program. The Framework is publicly available on the official DWSP2 website. 

Communities enrolled in the program will work with technical assistance providers to develop and initiate implementation of a unique drinking water source protection program at no cost to the participating municipalities. 

The program is designed to build off previous work, help align priorities, and fill gaps within a municipality’s current and future source water protection efforts. 

Participating municipalities receive free technical assistance in assessing modern day vulnerabilities and engaging in preventative actions to protect drinking water sources from contamination, identifying effective actions to address potential contaminant sources, and implementing source water protection actions. 

The program helps ensure meaningful collaboration during plan development and initial implementation between municipalities, members that represent the source water and their technical assistance providers. The 16 new municipalities include the cities of Dunkirk, Elmira, Glen Cove, Little Falls and Saratoga Springs, the towns of Cazenovia, Keene and Saugerties, and the villages of Chester, Fonda, Middleburgh, Saugerties, Voorheesville, Woodbury, Delhi, and Montgomery. A full list of participating communities can be found on the DWSP2 website. 

In addition to the development of a plan, each community will initiate implementation activities focused on preventing and minimizing pollution of source waters. Municipalities have many tools available to reduce the likelihood of pollutants reaching the source water area for their public water supply. 

For example, a municipality may: 

• Conduct education and awareness campaigns to inform community members of best management practices and increase their engagement in source water protection;
• Work with landowners to place easements on parcels of land, or purchase properties near a drinking water source;
• Apply for available State and federal resources, programs, and funding to assist with the cost of implementation activities;
• Establish protective buffers (e.g., riparian) or develop and implement local protective zoning (e.g., aquifer protection overlay districts) around their source that controls activities or land uses that can threaten the water supply; and 
• Partner with neighboring municipalities in an intermunicipal agreement, which can protect water quality and other natural resources across multiple jurisdictions by coordinating local government efforts to address contamination threats. 

During implementation, DWSP2 communities continue working with their technical assistance provider to address priority issues outlined in the DWSP2 plan. The municipality’s Program Management Team and works alongside their technical assistance provider to implement and prioritize the community’s source water protection needs. Implementation of a community’s program is just as critical as developing their plan and is one of the more rewarding aspects of DWSP2. 

DWSP2 has achieved significant advances in protecting drinking water resources across New York State since launched in 2021. Including today’s announcement, 117 municipalities are working on proactive protection of source water. Municipalities can learn from examples set by the City of Ithaca), Town of Bethlehem,) and Village of Athens. 

Communities interested in learning more about the Drinking Water Source Protection Program can visit the DWSP2 webpage or contact source.water@dec.ny.gov. If interested in participating in the program, please fill out this Interest Form to set up a community-specific presentation detailing ways DWSP2 can help you protect your source waters. 

New York's Commitment to Water Quality

New York State continues to increase its nation-leading investments in water infrastructure, with a total of $6 billion invested in water infrastructure since 2017. Governor Hochul’s 2026–27 Executive Budget proposes a record $425 million for the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), a critical resource for environmental programs such as land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species prevention and eradication, recreation access, water quality improvement, and environmental justice projects. The Executive Budget also includes a historic $3.75 billion five-year commitment to clean water infrastructure. 

This funding is in addition to other substantial water quality investments, including the voter-approved $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, which is advancing historic levels of funding to update aging water infrastructure and protect water quality, strengthen communities' ability to withstand severe storms and flooding, reduce air pollution and lower climate-altering emissions, restore habitats, and preserve outdoor spaces and local farms. These investments will create jobs, strengthen community resilience, and improve environmental sustainability. By taking these steps, Governor Hochul is ensuring a healthier and more sustainable future for all New Yorkers.