KINGSTON – Ulster County Executive Michael Hein wants New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to see firsthand what the situation is regarding the Big Apple’s handling of its watershed.

“The NYC DEP is presently operating much like an occupying nation within our county – extracting the natural resource of clean water while simultaneously polluting our waterways and causing massive regional economic hardships,” he wrote the mayor in a letter dated January 2.

Hein believes that if Bloomberg sees for himself the polluted waterways, leaks and other issues, he would jumpstart the remedies.

“Is this really just about getting the cheapest water possible without any concern for the people of Ulster County or are they genuinely concerned about both the environment and where their water comes from and the people who are negatively impacted,” he said.

Hein pointed to the continuously high turbidity of the water in the Lower Esopus, aqueduct leaks under Wawarsing and what he said is New York City’s under paying of its fair share of taxes on the watershed land, which he said ultimately places the burden on the small municipalities in Ulster than cannot afford it.