This new edition of Governing New York State (formerly New York State Today) provides the latest on New York State politics, government, and public policies. The text is two-thirds new material. Covered for the first time are racial politics in New York, political conflict, the press, tax policy, environmental issues, and transportation policy. While continuing to provide a comprehensive introduction to New York State politics and government, the third edition contains fewer, more in-depth articles.

New York City's municipal water supply system provides about 1 billion gallons of drinking water a day to over 8.5 million people in New York City and about 1 million people living in nearby Westchester, Putnam, Ulster, and Orange counties. The combined water supply system includes 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes with a total storage capacity of approximately 580 billion gallons. The city's Watershed Protection Program is intended to maintain and enhance the high quality of these surface water sources. Review of the New York City Watershed Protection Program assesses the efficacy and future of New York City's watershed management activities. The report identifies program areas that may require future change or action, including continued efforts to address turbidity and responding to changes in reservoir water quality as a result of climate change.