Appendices
However, it is the DEP and, therefore, New York City's water users that finance 91% of the Water Agricultural Council, which manages most of the partnerships between the DEP and farmers for the development of best farming practices. The rest of the Council's funding comes from the EPA, the US Department of Agriculture and, finally, the US Forest Service.
4.5. Number of final payers The drinking water supply network managed by the DEP provides water to 8 million New York inhabitants and about 1 million residents of counties located upstream of the city. Pendular migrants who come to work in New York and tourists who transit through the city are also final payers of these services, albeit indirectly. In all, almost half of New York State depends – at least during working hours – on the water distributed by the DEP, i.e. almost 10 million inhabitants.
4.6. Beneficiaries The DEP-managed PES program's beneficiaries are also New York City's 10 million water service users. By funding this water resource protection policy, the water service users have access to water whose quality is naturally guaranteed. Furthermore, they avoid having to bear the cost of building and operating an additional drinking water treatment plan and, therefore, benefit from a not so high water bill – especially in the long term. In addition and more indirectly, the entire operation benefits those who enjoy the quality of the water resources and the amenities offered by the catchment areas: trekkers, kayakers, hunters, fishermen, campers, residents, etc.
April 2012 / Payments for Ecosystem Services / © AFD
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