Paul Rush

Paul Rush, raised in Sullivan County and trained as an engineer at West Point, had long been interested in NYC’s water supply system, the largest municipal water system in the U.S. providing a billion gallons each day to over 9 million people. The system includes 19 reservoirs, 6,200 miles of pipes and tunnels, and dozens of facilities across its 1.2-million-acre watershed. Now with DEP for 24 years, Mr. Rush has led the Bureau with watershed conservation and technological innovations, many of which are recognized internationally. For example, DEP constructed the world’s largest ultraviolet facility to disinfect water and protect public health. Equally important, Mr. Rush has nurtured collaborative, productive and respectful relationships with the upstate communities that surround the City’s reservoir system. An upstate county official notes, “Paul is a great man to work with; he is a man of remarkable character and he has a rare ability to get things done.”