“The Increasing Role of Public Health in Protecting the New York City Watershed: A GIS Analysis”

Public health officials are necessary for integration into public safety initiatives to protect critical water infrastructure given the threats in the post September 11, 2001 world and the increasing population and development of urban areas. This challenge is particularly acute for larger and growing urban areas in which drinking water must be transported through complex systems diffused over wide geographic areas. This presentation will discuss the unique complexities for public health and public safety officials in protecting the New York City Watershed that extends nearly two thousand square miles that must transport over one billion gallons of water up to one hundred twenty five miles to New York City.

This complex system involves a geographic area of two states, several counties, and a population of over 10 million persons through three complex mini systems. These complex systems involve numerous tunnels, aqueducts, and reservoirs. Several agencies are directly involved in protecting this watershed, the New York State Department of Environmental Protection Agency, the New York City Water Finance Authority and the New York City Water Board. However, these agencies must collaborate with many other agencies within the watershed to manage, protect and transport the water. This presentation will use GIS and mapping so that the audience can visualize the organizational public health challenges of protecting and transporting water to a large urban area.