- Digitizing tap card database will transform data management for NYC DEP
New York, NY – September 29, 2025 – Arcadis, a global leader in intelligence-driven sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets, today announced it will be developing a Tap Card Management System (TCMS) for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations (BWSO). The TCMS will be developed to help New York City (NYC) comply with EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) by incorporating available information related to installations, maintenance, and identification of water service lines across the entire water distribution system. The contract value of the project is $8.1M, with a duration of approximately 28 months
DEP supplies one billion gallons of water to NYC daily through aqueducts and water tunnels, flowing through approximately 7,000 miles of water mains. Private water service lines deliver water from DEP’s water mains to every home and business in the city. Tap card records are used to document the lifecycle of a water service line. There are over 2 million tap card records in NYC. While NYC banned lead service lines in 1961, the city still has old lead service lines. EPA’s proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) require all lead service lines to be replaced within the next 10 years.
To support the planning, operations and management needs of BWSO, Arcadis is providing design and implementation of a custom web-based TCMS solution. Arcadis is responsible for validating key water service line attributes such as service line material, size, type, location, maintenance information using over 2 million tap card images, as well as creating and integrating the tap card database with other DEP databases. The TCMS solution will facilitate efficient data management, allowing DEP users to access water service line information and scanned tap card images via a dedicated portal. Arcadis staff will train DEP staff in the use of the TCMS and provide ongoing support as users engage with the portal. In the final phase of this project, Arcadis will apply predictive modeling techniques to assess the probability of lead in the water service lines. This process will enable the development of a prioritized service line replacement plan across all five boroughs.
Suman Bopaiah, Deputy Project Manager at Arcadis, said: “This project leads the charge for a safer water future for New York City. The web-based Arcadis solution deployed will empower the community and enhance asset management efficiency.”
Rebecca Slabaugh, Drinking Water Practice Lead at Arcadis, said: “We are excited to help NYC DEP achieve compliance, reduce costs and prepare to remove all lead service lines across the city. Our team has extensive experience with the NYC water system and national expertise in LCR compliance and replacement programs. "
