N.Y.C. Admin. Code § 24-591: § 24-591 Waterbody testing.

a.

Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Water quality indicator. The term “water quality indicator” means the following parameters as measured by the department: fecal coliform and enterococcus bacteria, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, nitrogen, and water clarity.

Waterbody. The term “waterbody” means a waterfront located adjacent to the shoreline bordering New York city, or a waterway, such as a creek, river, canal, or channel, located within the geographical boundaries of New York city.

b.

Testing. The commissioner shall conduct sampling and testing for water quality indicators at no less than 15 testing sites based on the following criteria:

1. At least once each month from November to April, and at least once each week from May to October.

2. The commissioner shall select such testing sites based on their location within:

(a) 1,000 feet of a combined sewer outfall;

(b) an area of a waterbody used for secondary contact recreation, such as boating or fishing; and

(c) within 5 and 20 feet from a waterbody’s shore or other access point, or as close to such distance as possible while maintaining a minimum of 5 feet of water depth at low tide for vessel navigation safety.

3. No testing site selected by the commissioner pursuant to this subdivision shall include a site at a waterbody being tested or surveyed by the department of health and mental hygiene.

c.

Posting water quality information online. At least once each week the commissioner shall conspicuously post on the department’s website the final results of all sampling and testing conducted pursuant to subdivision b of this section for bacteria, including fecal coliform and enterococcus, and at least once each quarter the commissioner shall conspicuously post on the department’s website all other water quality indicators. The results of such sampling and testing required to be posted online pursuant to this subdivision shall be disaggregated by:

1. The type of water quality indicator tested;

2. The level of such water quality indicator found in the sample, indicated with units of measurement as determined by the commissioner;

3. The site where such sample was collected, including the approximate distance from the waterbody’s shore or other access point;

4. The date such sample was collected; and

5. The method of testing utilized to determine the measurement for each water quality indicator.

(L.L. 2026/091, 5/16/2026, eff. 2/10/2027)