The CWC was born out of the landmark January 17, 1997 New York City Watershed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between City, State, Federal and environmental entities, the Coalition of Watershed Towns, and every Watershed municipality. The CWC is a not for profit Local Development Corporation which executes numerous New York City-funded environmental protection, economic development and education programs throughout the New York City Watershed West of the Hudson River.

With headquarters in Arkville, New York, CWC is comprised of 22 local staff and is governed by a 15 member Board of Directors, 12 of which are elected by the local watershed towns. Of the remaining three, one is a representative of the Governor, one is a representative of the environmental advocacy organizations (and lives in a watershed town) and one is a representative of the City of New York.

The CWC’s programs are intended to protect the quality of the water which sustains 9 million residents of New York City and its suburbs, while at the same time preserving and strengthening the rural communities within the five counties of the Catskill and Delaware Watershed.