Thirsty Metropolis: A Case Study of New York City's Drinking Water

New York City's drinking water supply has evolved from private wells to a complex system of upstate reservoirs and aqueducts, although not without social and political conflict. In particular, a balance must be found between population pressures both in upstate watershed regions and downstate. This case study is based on a 1995 controversy concerning the regulation of NYC's water quality following new national laws. Students will adopt the concerns of one of the major groups involved (government entities, upstate stakeholders, downstate stakeholders, or environment groups) to actively come to a decision, with follow up to compare their discussions with what actually occurred.