New York City's Filtration Avoidance Determination (FAD)

Upcoming Public Meetings

Issuance of New York City’s 2027 Filtration Avoidance Determination (FAD)

Join the New York State Department of Health for an online or in-person public meeting to learn about New York City’s watershed protection and partnership programs. New York City watershed residents and other watershed stakeholders are invited to participate.

Staff will share information on the process for reviewing and reissuing New York City’s FAD. Verbal comments will be welcome and should be limited to 3-5 minutes. Written comments may also be submitted. Public input from these meetings will help inform the development of programs for the 2027 FAD.

Thursday, July 9, 2026, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Virtual Register Here.

Tuesday, July 14, 2026, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Catskill Watershed Corp, 669 County Road 38, Arkville, NY 12406

Thursday, July 16, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Town of Somers Town Hall, 335 Route 202, Somers, NY 10589

Monday, July 20, 2026, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Virtual Register Here.


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 New York State Department of Health is currently revising the 2027 FAD.

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.

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.