“Our tap water is the envy of everyone (…) one billion gallons of drinking water (are consumed) every day in New York City. But for the past 30 years, the Delaware Aqueduct, the largest tunnel in the world, has been leaking.”
With these words, the mayor, Eric Adams, outlined the problems that currently exist in the infrastructure that transports drinking water to the Big Apple from the north, and that due to leaks causes around 35 million gallons of water to be drained every day. They leak into the ground, which puts future supply at risk, which is why he announced the last phase of the $2 billion megaproject to close the leaks of the precious liquid.
The announcement was made this Monday by the president, who from Queens revealed that the project, which lasted two decades, will ensure that there is a lasting supply of drinking water for New Yorkers for years to come.
“The water leak is enough to fill 50 Olympic swimming pools every day or almost 20,000 Olympic swimming pools a year. “It’s a lot of water, it’s a big problem,” said the local president, referring to the benefits that will be achieved by the project that seeks to repair the leak and ensure the future of the water supply, connecting a diversion tunnel along the Delaware Aqueduct. , located 600 feet below the Hudson River.
“It is 2.5 miles long and cost more than $2 billion to build, making it the largest repair project in history. In the coming months, our team of DEP engineers will drain the aqueduct and connect both ends of the bypass tunnel to the main aqueduct,” added the mayor, while warning, while testing the water, that the liquid will have a taste and smell. a little different, due to a new purification system with granular activated carbon.
“Some of you won’t notice, but others will. But it is still safe water to drink. I can’t taste it. They won’t be able to detect it. Some New Yorkers will do it, but it is still perfectly safe and good quality water,” Adams stressed.
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala said that for the past 11 years, the City has been building a 2.5-mile bypass tunnel around a water leak near Newburgh and another leak in Newburgh County. Ulster; with the goal of sealing them soon.
“Nearly 10 million New Yorkers count on us to provide them with high-quality water every day of the year, without fail. We will continue to do so during this complex repair and we will ensure that we fulfill that essential mission for future generations,” the official said, emphasizing that there will be those who will notice a different flavor as the repairs are completed. “Just like different brands of bottled water taste a little different, so do our different reservoirs. While some residents may notice a temporary, subtle difference in taste or aroma during repairs as we change our famous blend, our water remains clean and safe to drink.”
The Deputy Mayor for City Operations, Meera Joshi, assured that the works are a faithful testimony of the way in which the municipal administration works, and how it guarantees that New Yorkers do not suffer future needs in terms of water supply.
“We have the best water system in the country. We have the best water in the country. Our system was built in the 19th century. “The water is purified by gravity and nature, allowing New Yorkers to enjoy a billion gallons of water every day,” the official said. “Its only flaw is that it has a small leak, especially in the Delaware Aqueduct, the largest tunnel in the country. But it’s not as simple as fixing the faucet. There are 19 reservoirs that make up our system, three lakes, and they all work together. So it’s taken 20 years of planning, 20 years of engineering, 20 years of engineering genius to bring us to this moment. And just like our water, New York City will keep running.”
According to the DEP, that agency manages the water supply of approximately 1.1 billion gallons of high-quality water each day, used by about 10 million residents, including 8.3 million in the Big Apple, in an infrastructure of approximately 11,200 kilometers of area. pipes, tunnels and aqueducts.
Councilman James Gennaro took advantage of the announcement to ask New Yorkers to drink tap water, emphasizing that it is not necessary to use bottled water.
“Don’t drink bottled water. We don’t need it. We have the best. I have my little container. Always try to stay hydrated. “There are so many wonderful things we could talk about about the watershed and we are going to remain determined to prevent water from leaking,” the politician said. “Very few watersheds in the country have that level of purity that can be maintained here.”
On the other hand, and in another announcement related to infrastructure, this Monday the City of New York revealed the beginning of a redesign program for 96th Street, which will improve space for buses and safety for pedestrians. The works will be carried out between West End and Second avenues, with new lanes, benefiting some 15,500 passengers who depend on those road routes.
“Bus lanes are one of the best ways to speed up service, and the new bus lanes on 96th Street will reduce wait times and improve service for 15,500 weekday riders. These improvements will make daily trips faster, more reliable and safer for everyone,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodríguez. “By improving bus and pedestrian infrastructure, we are also ensuring that Manhattan commuters can get to their destinations faster and safer. “Bus passengers deserve reliable service to spend less time traveling and more time with loved ones or on important appointments.”
The municipal Transportation agency explained that to improve bus service, a detoured or curbside lane will be implemented in each direction between West End Avenue and Central Park West, and between Madison Avenue and Second Avenue.
“These changes will improve bus speed and reliability by keeping the lane clear of parked or stopped vehicles, while maintaining curb access for parking, truck loading, and passenger drop-off/pick-up,” said Esa. agency. “The New York City Department of Transportation will implement Neighborhood Loading Zones during the day to better facilitate curbside access for deliveries and service vehicles. The design also ensures that traffic flow for other vehicles is not affected.”
Data
- $2,000 million was the investment to resolve water leaks in repair of the Delaware Aqueduct
- 35 million gallons of drinking water are lost due to leaks
- 50 Olympic swimming pools could be filled every day with wasted water
- 600 feet below the Hudson River passes the aqueduct
- 1.1 billion gallons of water used by New Yorkers
- 8.3 million in the Big Apple