The Water Discovery Center is an educational organization that tells the story, past and present, of the New York City water supply system, one of the most extraordinary municipal water systems in the world, one that promotes sound management of a working watershed, open to recreation while protecting the precious natural resource of the Catskill Mountains. It is also a story of community sacrifice that came with the building of this water system; a story of the cultural heritage of the watershed communities; a story of the wondrous bounty that nature has bestowed on the Catskills and the care that must be taken to access, harvest, distribute, preserve and protect that bounty and freshwater everywhere.
Working with partners in the Arkville Recreation Hub, which include the Catskill Watershed Corporation, Watershed Agricultural Council, NYC DEP, Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, and many regional organizations including the Catskill Center, Catskill Forest Association, Frost Valley YMCA, and the Ashokan Center, the Catskill Water Discovery Center will provide educational opportunities and programs to inform and inspire about the importance of watershed management, land protection, and environmental stewardship.