Groundwater Supply System

Between 1887 and 1996, the privately owned Jamaica Water Supply Company (JWS) operated a group of wells that served the communities of southeastern Queens and portions of Nassau County. In 1996, New York City purchased the Queens portion of the JWS and took responsibility for the delivery of drinking water to those communities served by the groundwater wells. After acquiring the JWS wells, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) renamed the group of wells the groundwater supply system.

Located in southeastern Queens, the groundwater supply system consists of 67 supply wells at 43 well stations and several water storage tanks. The groundwater system did provide water to a limited portion of the city’s distribution system in Queens until 2007, but has not operated since then. When online, residents within the service area received groundwater or a mix of ground and surface waters depending on demand and supply availability.

For more information about New York City’s Drinking Water Supply, visit Drinking Water.