City Council Passes Water-Tower Inspection Bill

While extant law requires annual inspection, the city estimates that a third of the approximately 12,000 towers, which provide drinking water to residents of buildings up to six stories tall, currently go uninspected within that timeframe.

Building owners not in compliance are liable for fines of between $200 and $2,000 per violation. The rules takes effect 90 days after enactment.

Additionally, starting March 1, 2010, the Health Department will send an annual tank-inspection report to City Council.

Councilmember Daniel Garodnick, the legislation's main sponsor, noted that until now, inspection records could not be opened even by subpoena. "There may be no more closely guarded secret than the condition of 12,000 water tanks throughout the city," he said. "These reports should not be treated like state secrets."

Update: This was signed into law by Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Feb. 26, 2009, as Local Law 11 of 2009.