"Zebra mussels, hydrilla and now a waterflea have made their homes in New Croton Reservoir."
"The quality of New York’s drinking water—and the complex system that delivers it to each New Yorker’s tap—has long been a source of pride for city officials and residents alike. Intricate aqueducts, powered largely by gravity, bring water from the Delaware and Catskills watersheds, as well as from the closer Croton Reservoirs, to the city.
Partly as a result of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection’s consistent efforts to protect these watersheds through the Long-Term Watershed Protection Plan, this network is considered the gold standard for urban water supplies.
But in recent years, three invasive species have emerged to threaten water quality at the city’s oldest reservoir, the Croton system.
Today, the Croton system, which was the first watershed to ever serve the city on a large scale, usually supplies around 10 percent of the city’s water, and can provide much more in times of drought upstate. Located east of the Hudson, the system covers 12 reservoirs and three controlled lakes, all of which flow into the New Croton Reservoir in Westchester County."
Lauren Dalban reports for Inside Climate News November 4, 2024.
Advertisement 
