Community Planning Intern, Valhalla

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP’s water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the City.

The Bureau of Water Supply (BWS) employs nearly 1,000 people who are responsible for the management, operation, and protection of New York City’s upstate water supply system, associated facilities and aqueducts, over 100 miles of road, 55 bridges, and approximately 150,000 acres of watershed lands. The mission of the Bureau of Water Supply is to reliably deliver a sufficient quantity of high-quality drinking water and to ensure the long-term sustainability of the delivery of this most valuable resource in order to promote public health, economic development, and quality of life of the City of New York. BWS is also responsible for the overall management and implementation of the provisions of the City’s $1.5 billion Watershed Protection Program and for ensuring the City’s compliance with the provisions of the Filtration Avoidance Determination. Within BWS, we have diverse roles and responsibilities, and each of us contributes to the same mission of reliably providing New York City with its most valuable natural resource.

The Bureau’s Watershed Lands and Community Planning Directorate works with state and local government officials, non-profit entities, and others to implement a suite of watershed management and water quality improvement programs aimed at protecting source water and fostering good relations with program partners.

The Community Planning intern will primarily assist with developing a watershed planning report to identify areas for potential sewering in the Kensico Reservoir Drainage Basin. This task will involve working with DEP’s GIS staff in obtaining relevant data, analyzing data based on predetermined criteria, and drafting report tables and text. The intern will also be assigned work related to other ongoing Community Planning programs located in the East of Hudson (EOH) watershed including the EOH Septic Repair Program and EOH Community Wastewater Grant Program. Opportunities may exist to shadow staff in other Directorates if time allows. Candidate will be required to present summaries of their work to the Section Chief at the end of the internship.

The candidate will be working predominately in an office although some field work may be required. Candidate will be responsible for adhering to and complying with all environmental, health and safety laws, Agency policies, rules, and regulations.

The internship location will be in Valhalla, NY, without ready access to mass transit options.

As of June of the Program year the prospective intern must be a student matriculated in a college or be a recent college graduate (winter/spring term of the Program year).

Appointment to this title is only valid for the duration of the Program, June – August each year.