The New York City Department of Environmental Protection has applied to the State Department of Conservation for permission to continue acquisition of land in the watershed that supplies drinking water to half the state's population.

One area where DEP would like to acquire more protective lands is at the Pepacton Reservoir, in Delaware County.The success of its Watershed Protection Program is a primary reason why New York City is one of only five large cities in the country that is not required to filter its drinking water.

So far, New York City has invested more than $1.5 billion for related activities: to buy land at fair-market value from willing sellers; to help homeowners in the watershed area upgrade or replace failing septic systems; to build new wastewater management systems or to upgrade them in upstate communities.

DEP Deputy Commissioner Paul Rush told the Times Herald-Record that the land acquisitions will likely be near the Cannonsville and Pepacton reservoirs. The permit DEP is seeking would also extend the city's watershed protection program by 10 years; the existing permit expires in 2012.

In 2007, the federal Environmental Protection Agency awarded the city a 10-year Filtration Avoidance Determination. It requires New York City to continually and actively acquire properties identified for their water quality benefits.