MakingWaves - News from the Division of Water

• Water Well Contractor Program Registration
• Building Resiliency Along Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence
• N.G. Kaul Scholarship
• Land Acquisition for Source Water Protection Survey

Water Well Contractor Program Registration

The DEC Water Well Contractor Program is currently accepting applications for the Certificate of Registration for the period April 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021. Registration is required by March 31 each year for all water well contractors who drill or repair water wells in New York State. The on-site contractor must be certified for the work that they are conducting (well drilling and/or pump installation). A Preliminary Notice must be filed prior to drilling a well, and a Water Well Completion Report must be filed upon completion of water well drilling. For additional information, contact Water Well Program staff at 877-472-2619 or NYSWaterWells@dec.ny.gov.

Dredging Sites Selected to Help Build Resiliency Along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced the completion of the first round of dredging at Port Bay in Wayne County, the first of 20 dredging sites selected across the region to address a backlog of projects at harbor navigation channels along the southern shore of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. The $15 million regional dredging initiative is part of the State's $300 million effort to repair and build resiliency in communities recovering from damage caused by high water levels and flooding.

N.G. Kaul Scholarship Application Deadline is February 28

Applications are being accepted for the N.G. Kaul Memorial Scholarship. In honor of the former Director of DEC's Division of Water, up to $5,000 in scholarships is available to students pursuing graduate or doctoral degrees in environmental/civil engineering or environmental science concentrating on water quality who show a commitment to government service.

Scholarship applications are available on the NY Water Environment Association Scholarship webpage. Applications are due by February 28 at 5 p.m.

Reminder: Take Survey Regarding WQIP Land Acquisition for Source Water Protection Grant

The Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program provides state funding for various project types, including land acquisition for protection of drinking water source areas. Grants provide money to municipalities, land trusts, and soil and water conservation districts for the purchase of parcels and/or conservation easements and are selected through an application and scoring process using established criteria to ensure appropriate areas are funded that will help safeguard a community's source of drinking water.

DEC is seeking participation in a survey to understand any barriers that would prevent potential applicants from using this funding source and how the state can resolve those issues for future rounds. The survey is available on DEC's WQIP Land Acquisition Projects for Source Water Protection Toolkit web page.

If you would like to learn about WQIP Land Acquisition Projects for Source Water Protection, visit DEC's WQIP webpage or contact WQIPsourcewater@dec.ny.gov.