New York City's Filtration Avoidance Determination (FAD)
Since 1993, New York City (“the City”) has met the requirements of the 1989 Surface Water Treatment Rule and, after 1998, the Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. This has allowed the City to avoid filtering its Catskill/Delaware water supply. The conditions that the City must meet to maintain filtration avoidance are described in the City’s Filtration Avoidance Determination (FAD). The current Revised 2017 FAD was issued by the New York State Department of Health in December 2022.
Revised 2017 FAD
The New York State Department of Health has revised some components of the 2017 FAD. These updates reflect the findings of the 2020 National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Expert Panel Review of the New York City Watershed Protection Program, updated commitments in the City’s 2021 Long-Term Watershed Protection Plan (December 2021), and stakeholder input received on the Draft Revised FAD during the 2022 public comment period.
- Revised 2017 New York City Filtration Avoidance Determination (December 2022) (PDF)
- Response to Public Comments on the Draft Revised 2017 Filtration Avoidance Determination for the City of New York (PDF)
2017 FAD Compliance Assessment
New York City’s 2017 FAD required the New York State Department of Health, in consultation with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, to conduct a review of the New York City’s implementation of their 2016 Long-Term Watershed Protection Plan and compliance with the requirements of the 2017 Filtration Avoidance Determination. This compliance assessment details the findings of NYSDOH.
2017 FAD
The New York State Department of Health issued this version of the FAD in December 2017.
