Delaware Aqueduct
{{Short description|Aqueduct in New York, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{For|the historic bridge joining Pennsylvania and New York|Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct}}
{{Coord|41.282317|-73.667908|display=title}}
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File:Rondout Reservoir 2.jpg is the central collection point for the Delaware Aqueduct, receiving the waters of the Cannonsville, Neversink, and Pepacton reservoirs]]
The Delaware Aqueduct is an aqueduct in the New York City water supply system. It takes water from the Rondout, Cannonsville, Neversink, and Pepacton reservoirs on the west bank of the Hudson River through the Chelsea Pump Station, then into the West Branch, Kensico, and Hillview reservoirs on the east bank, ending at Hillview in Yonkers, New York.
Built between 1939 and 1945, the Delaware Aqueduct carries about half of New York City's water supply of {{convert|1.0|e9USgal|m3}} per day. At {{convert|13.5|ft|m}} wide and {{convert|85|mi|km}} long, it is the world's longest tunnel.{{cite web |title=DEP Announces Major Milestone For Delaware Aqueduct Repair As Tunneling Machine Completes Excavation |url=https://www1.nyc.gov/site/dep/news/19-062/dep-major-milestone-delaware-aqueduct-repair-tunneling-machine-completes |date=2019-08-16 |publisher=New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) |access-date=August 11, 2022 |archive-date=August 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811144355/https://www1.nyc.gov/site/dep/news/19-062/dep-major-milestone-delaware-aqueduct-repair-tunneling-machine-completes |url-status=live }}
Reservoirs and watersheds
File:Palmer Av Delaware Water Supply jeh.JPG]]
The Delaware Aqueduct carries water from the {{convert|95|sqmi|adj=on||}}, {{convert|49.6|e9USgal|e6m3|adj=on|abbr=off}} watershed{{cite web |title=Rondout |url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/watershed/html/rondoutinfo.html |date= |website=Overview: Reservoirs |publisher=NYCDEP |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040208052819/http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/watershed/html/rondoutinfo.html |archive-date=2004-02-08}} using the Rondout, Cannonsville, Neversink and Pepacton reservoirs with the Delaware and Neversink tunnels. (The latter three reservoirs are within the Delaware River watershed. The water from the Rondout Reservoir is collected as part of the Delaware system, though the Rondout Creek is part of the Hudson River watershed.[https://data.riverkeeper.org/water-quality/citizen-data/rondout-creek/ Rondout Creek], Riverkeeper. Accessed May 20, 2025. "The Rondout-Wallkill watershed is the Hudson River Estuary’s largest tributary. The portion of the Rondout watershed from the Catskill headwaters to the Rondout Reservoir is part of New York City’s drinking water supply.")
Combined, the four reservoirs account for {{convert|1012|sqmi|||}} of watershed and {{convert|320.4|e9USgal|e9m3|abbr=off|1}} of capacity, {{convert|890|e6USgal|e6m3|abbr=off}} of which goes to the city — half of daily demand. All this water is fed from the Rondout to West Branch Reservoir in Putnam County (part of the Croton River watershed, which includes the flow of the upstream Boyds Corner Reservoir), then to the Kensico, and Hillview reservoirs in southern Westchester County, before continuing on to distribution within New York City.
Leak problems
Leaks were first discovered in the Delaware Aqueduct in 1988, with water losses up to {{convert|36|e6USgal|m3}} per day. The city took many years to analyze the leak problem and devise a solution. In 2010 it announced a plan for a major repair project.{{cite news |last=Navarro |first=Mireya |date=November 19, 2010 |title=For Leaky New York Aqueduct, Bypass Tunnel Is Planned |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/nyregion/20aqueduct.html |access-date=September 30, 2024 |work=The New York Times |archive-date=July 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728201244/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/nyregion/20aqueduct.html |url-status=live }}
= Repairs =
The NYCDEP is building a {{convert|2.5|mi|adj=on||}} Rondout-West Branch Bypass Tunnel beneath the Hudson River, which will allow it to bypass the leak. Construction began in November 2013. "The number's going to be $1.5 billion to do the entire program to make the fix," said Paul Rush, Deputy Commissioner of the NYCDEP. "About two-thirds of it, $1 billion, will actually go into constructing a bypass tunnel around the location with the most significant leakage in Roseton, and to do additional concrete grouting in the Wawarsing section."{{cite web |last1=Ernst |first1=Aaron |last2=Putzel |first2=Cristof |date=August 4, 2014 |title=Why New Yorkers should be worried about their water supply |url=http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2014/8/4/new-york-water-supply.html |publisher=Al Jazeera |access-date=August 6, 2014 |archive-date=August 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140806034318/http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2014/8/4/new-york-water-supply.html |url-status=dead }}
The new bypass tunnel is the largest construction project in NYCDEP's history. Construction of the tunnel, {{convert|500|ft|m}} under the Hudson, was completed in 2019. The project involved digging two shafts measuring {{convert|700|and|900|ft}} deep.{{cite web | last=Bonanos | first=Christopher | title=The World’s Largest Plumbing Repair | website=Curbed | date=October 5, 2024 | url=https://www.curbed.com/article/delaware-aqueduct-tunnel-repair-nyc-drinking-water.html | access-date=October 9, 2024 | archive-date=October 7, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007093446/https://www.curbed.com/article/delaware-aqueduct-tunnel-repair-nyc-drinking-water.html | url-status=live }} To complete the repairs, the aqueduct was supposed to shut down temporarily in 2022, but this was postponed.{{cite web |last=Becker |first=Peter |date=June 10, 2022 |title=Delaware Aqueduct closure postponed a year, New York City DEP says |url=https://www.tricountyindependent.com/story/news/environment/2022/06/10/delaware-aqueduct-closure-postponed-a-year-new-york-city-dep-says/65359978007/ |access-date=September 30, 2024 |website=Tri-County Independent |archive-date=July 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709023322/https://www.tricountyindependent.com/story/news/environment/2022/06/10/delaware-aqueduct-closure-postponed-a-year-new-york-city-dep-says/65359978007/ |url-status=live }} The shutdown was rescheduled for 2024–2025; completion of the project depends on potential drought conditions and associated demand levels for water from the Delaware system.{{cite web |title=The Delaware Aqueduct Repair Project and its Impacts on Watershed Communities |url=https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/whats-new/delaware-aqueduct-shutdown-impact-upstate.page |access-date=2023-09-30 |publisher=NYCDEP |archive-date=October 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009135713/https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/whats-new/delaware-aqueduct-shutdown-impact-upstate.page |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Repairing the Delaware Aqueduct |url=https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dep/downloads/pdf/whats-new/programs-initiatives/delaware-watershed-delaware-aqueduct-shutdown-factsheet.pdf |date=2023-07-03 |publisher=NYCDEP |id=Fact sheet |access-date=September 30, 2023 |archive-date=October 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009135712/https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dep/downloads/pdf/whats-new/programs-initiatives/delaware-watershed-delaware-aqueduct-shutdown-factsheet.pdf |url-status=live }} The northern section of the tunnel was shut down in September 2024.{{cite web |last=Hill |first=Michael |date=September 30, 2024 |title=New York City closes tunnel supplying half of its water for big $2 billion fix |url=https://apnews.com/article/water-new-york-city-delaware-aqueduct-2657dd169130c5339dbf3149201abbea |access-date=September 30, 2024 |website=AP News |archive-date=October 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009135713/https://apnews.com/article/water-new-york-city-delaware-aqueduct-2657dd169130c5339dbf3149201abbea |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Howard |first=Hilary |date=September 30, 2024 |title=N.Y.C. Tap Water May Taste Different During Upcoming Tunnel Shutdown |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/30/nyregion/nyc-tap-water-may-taste-different-during-upcoming-tunnel-shutdown.html |access-date=September 30, 2024 |website=The New York Times |archive-date=October 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007113634/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/30/nyregion/nyc-tap-water-may-taste-different-during-upcoming-tunnel-shutdown.html |url-status=live }} At the time, the closure was planned to last eight months.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
{{Refbegin}}
- {{cite book |last=Ascher |first=Kate |title=The Works: Anatomy of a City |year=2005 |publisher=Penguin Group |location=Canada |isbn=1-59420-071-8 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/worksanatomyofci00kate}}
{{Refend}}
External links
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=79oDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA214 "Giant Tube To Supply Water For Ten Millions"], Popular Mechanics, August 1937—detailed article with drawings and maps on proposed Delaware Aqueduct
{{NYCwater}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Water infrastructure of New York City
Category:Landmarks in New York (state)
Category:Aqueducts in New York (state)
Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Putnam County, New York
Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Ulster County, New York
Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Westchester County, New York