A crucial portion of New York City’s water supply, the Delaware Aqueduct, will be temporarily shut down throughout the winter as part of a $2 billion project to address massive leaks beneath the Hudson River, The Associated Press reports.
This shutdown, which begins this week, marks a significant undertaking in the city’s efforts to maintain its robust water infrastructure.
The Delaware Aqueduct, the world’s longest tunnel, carries water for 85 miles from the Catskill region to reservoirs in the city’s northern suburbs. It provides approximately half of the 1.1 billion gallons of water consumed daily by over 8 million New York City residents.
However, for decades, the aqueduct has been leaking up to 35 million gallons of water per day, primarily from a section beneath the Hudson River. This leakage has posed a major challenge for city officials, who could not afford to take the aqueduct offline for an extended period to repair the tunnel.
To address this issue, a parallel bypass tunnel under the river was constructed over the past decade. This new tunnel will be connected during the shutdown, which is expected to last up to eight months. During this time, over 40 miles of the aqueduct will be out of service. However, a section closer to the city will remain operational, and other leaks farther north will also be repaired.
City officials emphasized that the temporary shutdown will not disrupt water flow to city residents. While the water supply will remain uninterrupted, a shift in the water source mix could affect the taste of the water. The heavier reliance on reservoirs in the Croton Watershed, located in the city’s northern suburbs, may result in a subtle difference in taste due to a higher presence of minerals and algae.
“The water will always be there,” assured Paul Rush, Deputy Commissioner for the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). “We’re going to be changing the mix of water that consumers get.”
The DEP Commissioner, Rohit Aggarwala, acknowledged the potential change in taste.
“While some residents may notice a temporary, subtle difference in taste or aroma during the repairs, changes in taste don’t mean something is wrong with the water. Just like different brands of bottled water taste a bit different, so do our different reservoirs.”
