The Albany County Water Quality Coordinating Committee (ACWQCC), formed in 1991, is composed of individuals, non-governmental organizations, and governmental agencies, who are all stakeholders in the quest to protect and enhance the quality of Albany County’s surface and sub-surface waters.

Albany County Department of Health

Albany County Health Department provides designs and technical assistance for the installation of onsite-septic systems and individual wells and investigates and reviews potentially adverse health and safety concerns affecting protection and contamination of ground and surface water.

Phone: (518) 447 4620

Albany County Office of Natural Resource Conservation

This Office conducts specialized research and investigations regarding the planning, management, and conservation of the County's natural resources; coordinates and administers environmental regulatory compliance on behalf of the County Legislature and other County agencies; makes recommendations on studies and projects regarding environmental impact assessment; advises the Commissioner of Public Works on management and maintenance needs of the County Nature and Historic Preserve; fulfills the County's mandate under the Agricultural Protection Act; coordinates local government assistance on matters involving environmental regulatory compliance, natural resources inventory data, and land use and natural resource planning.

Phone: (518) 447-5670

Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District

The Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District’s mission is to improve local land management practices and provide technical assistance to residents, landowners, and units of government throughout Albany County. The District Staff work in urban, suburban and rural settings to provide help to landowners and others on resource management, land-use planning, and detailed soils information. Natural resource management activities include, but are not limited to: erosion & sediment control and stormwater management, water supply protection/watershed management, Agriculture Environmental Management/farmland protection, wildlife and fisheries habitat management, streambank maintenance/protection, resource interpretation including soils information/mapping, flood plain/wetland/stream mapping, general parcel boundary information, and pond management assistance. The Conservation District also provides educational programs to residents of all ages to encourage good stewardship into the future. With 70 years of success getting conservation on the ground, the Soil and Water Conservation District continues to provide critical services for the residents of Albany County.

Phone: (518)765-7923
24 Martin Rd.
Voorheesville, NY

Capital District Regional Planning Commission

The Commission promotes high quality water resources in NYS by developing and encouraging partnerships and implementing unified statewide programs that lead to comprehensive water resources planning and management. The Commission works with Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, and Saratoga Counties to support a number of initiatives which promote and protect our region’s environmental assets such as clean water and renewable energy. With funding support from the Section 604(b) Water Quality Program of the Clean Water Act, administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), CDRPC is continuing to participate in efforts to protect the region’s water resources. Toward this end, they have created watershed and ground water protection studies, sponsored educational forums, developed GIS data resources, and are working with MS4 communities on stormwater management programs. The Commission has also taken the lead in organizing a consortium to develop a comprehensive inter-municipal Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP) for Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO): overflows from combined storm & sanitary sewers discharging into the Hudson River Estuary. The 15-year CSO abatement program is jointly administered by the cities of Albany, Troy, Cohoes, Watervliet, Rensselaer, and Green Island – collectively the Albany Pool Communities. The Rensselaer and Albany County Sewer Districts are part of the program and provide technical and programmatic support.

Phone: (518) 453-0850

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Albany County

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) is a key outreach system of Cornell University whose educational system enables people to improve their lives and communities through partnerships that put experience and research knowledge to work. Part of CCE’s mission is to improve the quality and sustainability of human environments and natural resources by conserving and ensuring the quality of water supplies, promoting environmental stewardship and sound decision making about the management of natural resources, promoting community, agriculture and residential environmental enhancement, preparing youth to make informed environmental choices, and enhancing science education through the environment.

Phone: (518) 765-3500

City of Albany Department of Water and Water Supply

The Department’s mission is to protect and preserve the City’s water supply. This includes watershed protection and improvement projects in the Alcove and Basic watersheds as well as educating residents about their water supply and how to protect it. In addition, the Department is responsible for maintenance of the City’s stormwater conveyance system and implementation of their Phase II MS4 Stormwater Permit and Stormwater Program.

Phone: (518) 434-5300

Hudson River Environmental Society

HRES was founded in 1970 as a not-for-profit membership organization to foster research on the Hudson River, its watersheds and related coastal areas, to provide a forum for communication and cooperation among researchers. We endeavor to make the results of research in the physical, biological and social sciences, engineering, water resource management available and accessible to concerned citizens and public officials.

Phone: (518) 861-8020

United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service

NRCS works closely with agricultural producers to protect and improve water quality. As producers improve nutrient and pesticide management and reduce soil erosion, they reduce pollutants that would otherwise end up in lakes and streams. NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to address environmental resource concerns.

Phone: (518) 271-1740, ext. 3

United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency

Provides Federal cost share programs addressing agricultural Non-point Source (NPS) pollution, including funding for the installation of best land management practices, such as riparian buffers and permanent vegetative cover.

Phone: (518) 295-8600, ext. 2

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Water

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation exists to: "conserve, improve, and protect New York State's natural resources and environment, and control water, land and air pollution, in order to enhance the health, safety and welfare of the people of the state and their overall economic and social well being."

The Division of Water protects water quality, in lakes, rivers, aquifers and coastal areas by regulating wastewater discharges, monitoring water quality and controlling surface runoff. Water programs ensure adequate water quantity for public water supply, fish and wildlife habitat, and other uses; and reduce impacts from flooding, dam failure, and beach erosion. The Division works with partners and communities to promote water stewardship and education.

New York State is authorized by the federal government to administer the State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which regulates discharges to water resources. In addition, the Division of Water works to curb nonpoint sources of pollution and accomplish other clean water goals through its partnerships with other state agencies, educational and research institutions, and regional planning and watershed associations, committing several million dollars annually.

The Water program also administers the Water Quality Improvement Projects funding program that has committed funding to implement projects where they will do the most good for wastewater treatment, stormwater management program implementation, nonpoint source abatement, and aquatic habitat restoration.

Phone: (518) 402-8233

Berne Township

Berne is one of the four Albany County townships in the Helderberg Hilltowns; a rural landscape in the south western corner of the county.

Fronted by the Helderberg Escarpement, the topography generally slopes to the west. There is a small drainage to the Ten-Mile Creek, a tributary of the Catskill Creek. Most of the township is in the Mohawk River Watershed; beginning at the upland reaches of the Foxenkill (Fox Creek) and flowing to the Schoharie Creek in the Village of Schoharie. Warner Lake and a portion of Thompsons Lake are in the township and are highly valued recreational waters. Thompsons Lake is the source of the NYS water supply for Thatcher State Park and State Campground.

A relatively low population and large land holdings have helped preserve a good environmental condition in Berne, including water quality. However, recent hurricanes and resulting flooding has been unkind to buildings and development along the Foxenkill. Many damaged structures were abandoned after Hurricane Irene, and several bridges suffered significant damage and became choke points during the floods. Stream channels, choked with debris and sediment, have now been channelized and may cause subsequent flooding problems in the future.

The Berne Hamlet sewer project (S.D.#1) was completed and came on line in 2014. The system serves approximately 105 connections, and addressed failed septic systems and discharge of bacteria to the surface waters, satisfying a long standing NYSDEC Order on Consent. The remainder of the town is on septic systems. Private water systems furnish potable water in the entire town.

The town has a Comprehensive Plan, and is currently working on an amendment. Berne also has a Conservation Board that is a key part of the Planning Board application review process. Its members' expertise adds to the understanding of potential environmental impact of subdivision and zoning variance proposals. It also can be called upon to provide advisory opinions to the Town Board.

Hudson River Watershed Alliance

The Hudson River Watershed Alliance supports a collaborative network of watershed information and effective stewardship throughout the region.  The Alliance’s objectives include raising the capacity, effectiveness and sustainability of existing and emerging watershed groups and stewards; supporting a network of innovation, learning and information sharing to build an educated watershed constituency; and raising the collective voice for watershed groups and watershed interests in the Hudson River Basin.