Credit: Mylan Cannon/The Times , Water and Wastewater

CHAPTER 12 | WATER AND WASTEWATER 206 sewer assessment charged to every New York building—to upgrade and maintain the system, thereby safeguarding efficient performance during all conditions.

However, some extreme weather events are likely to become more severe and, in some cases, more frequent. In keeping with the goals of this report, where possible and reasonable, the City will work to mitigate the impacts of cli - mate change to the water and wastewater sys - tem. Meanwhile, for those times when impacts do occur, the City will enable rapid recovery by building resiliency into this system. To that end, the City will protect wastewater treatment facilities from storm surge, improve and expand drainage infrastructure, and invest in projects that increase the redundancy and flexibility of the water supply system.

Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Greenpoint, Brooklyn Credit: DEP How The Water and Wastewater New York’s water and wastewater system is draw from other parts of the system, thereby System Works an engineering marvel of massive scale. maintaining an uninterrupted flow. While on av - erage, New York’s wastewater facilities treat Every drop of water that comes out of the city’s DEP manages a complex system that begins about 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater per day, taps has traveled through a complex network of with located over 125 miles away on a wet day they can treat twice as much as aqueducts and tunnels, some dating back more from the city and ends at the city’s 14 waste - they do on a dry day. than 150 years, from sources that extend more water treatment plants with the release of than 125 miles from the city and across a 2,000- treated effluent into . Although Of course, even a system as effective as this square-mile watershed. Water that enters the the system is integrated, it is best explained by one has its limits. Sandy, though it was not a sig - city’s drains is conveyed through 7,500 miles of separating it into two primary components: the nificant rain event, came with a surge that af - sewers and returned to waterways. city’s water supply and distribution system, fected some of DEP’s assets in low-lying areas, and its collections and treatment system. ( See knocking out electrical grid power and critical With more than 8 million residents and many chart: The Water and Wastewater System in equipment at key wastewater facilities located more daily commuters and visitors in New York New York City ) City, merely ensuring that they all have the es - along the waterfront. As a result, DEP resorted to its onsite and portable backup power sys - sentials—including uninterrupted water and Water Supply and Distribution tems and mobilized portable pumps. wastewater services—requires a constant cho - The New York City water supply system pro - reography that is as complex as it is invisible to vides drinking water to almost half the popula - As Sandy demonstrated, the city’s water and its users. Whether turning on a tap to get a drink, tion of the State of New York—8 million people wastewater system has vulnerabilities to ex - running a bath, watering a lawn, flushing a toilet, in New York City and 1 million people in Westch - treme weather that must be addressed, partic - or fighting a fire, New Yorkers rightly expect their ester, Putnam, Orange, and Ulster Counties— ularly as climate change increases the water and wastewater system to work for plus the tens of millions of commuters and likelihood of storm surges and heavy rains that them—all the time, no matter the conditions. tourists who visit the city throughout the year. can result in overflow of untreated sewage into Overall, the system has a total storage capacity the city’s waterways. To prepare for the future, But the Department of Environmental Protec - of 580 billion gallons, and consumption is more DEP began implementing climate change re - tion (DEP) and the water and wastewater sys - than 1 billion gallons each day. tem it manages accomplish much more than siliency measures early, in 2008, when it issued the Climate Change Assessment and Action just supplying the essentials. DEP does not just The was the city’s first Plan. Prior to Sandy, DEP was already in the provide drinking water; it provides clean, Upstate water supply and is located entirely process of performing a detailed climate mostly unfiltered water from distant, carefully east of the in Westchester, change study for representative wastewater protected and managed watersheds—thereby Putnam, and Dutchess Counties, with a small treatment plants, pumping stations, and eliminating the need for billions of dollars in fil - portion in the State of Connecticut. Historically, drainage areas to determine the potential like - tration plant investments that would otherwise 10 percent of the city’s average daily water lihood and severity of various risks, including be required. DEP does not just carry and treat demand has been provided by the Croton storm surge. After Sandy, DEP expanded that wastewater; it helps to protect a harbor and system, although in times of drought, it may study to include all of its wastewater infrastruc - waterways that are cleaner than they have supply significantly more water. As of the ture across the city to systematically determine been in over a century. writing of this report, the system is offline risks and resiliency measures to help prevent temporarily while the City constructs a water future disruptions. Moreover, DEP’s system is able to function even treatment plant to filter the Croton water under extraordinary conditions. In the wake of supply. Once completed, Croton water will be Beyond this, DEP invests billions of dollars— storms that cause disruptions to one or several filtered and disinfected before flowing into from revenues generated by the water and of its reservoirs, system operators are able to Jerome Park in .

207 A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT NEW YORK The Catskill system consists of two reservoirs— Catskill and Delaware water before it flows to (murkiness resulting from stirred sediment) in Schoharie and Ashokan—located west of the in Yonkers. reservoirs through various operational meas - Hudson River in Ulster, Schoharie, Delaware, ures, including daily treatment and reduction of and Greene Counties. Water leaves Schoharie Water is distributed from Hillview Reservoir and the flow of water from the Catskill system. Reservoir via the 18-mile , Jerome Park Reservoir to end users throughout which empties into the and then the city via more than 7,000 miles of water Just 10 days later, Tropical Storm Lee affected travels 22 miles through the Esopus to Ashokan mains and pipes at pressures that, in most the same area, bringing with it more heavy rain Reservoir. Water leaves via cases, only require privately owned electric and further affecting water quality conditions the 75-mile-long , which trav - pumps for buildings taller than six stories. The in several reservoirs. Once again, DEP responded els to in Westchester County. 7,000 miles of water mains and pipes that dis - with operational measures and maintained an The Catskill system provides, on average, tribute water throughout the five boroughs are adequate supply of high-quality drinking water 40 percent of the city’s daily water supply. buried and pressurized, preventing water from for the city. The combination of two heavy rain infiltrating. Furthermore, there is necessary re - events in a 10-day period led to unprecedented The Delaware system consists of four reservoirs dundancy built into the system so that water operational measures—including a record 260- west of the Hudson River: Cannonsville, supply can be diverted to different pipes within day treatment regime for the Catskill system. Pepacton, and Neversink in the the system to ensure the constant flow of water. basin, and Rondout in the Hudson River basin. Wastewater Collection and Treatment The outflow from the first three reservoirs arrives Despite this flexibility, the water supply remains Every day, the City treats 1.3 billion gallons of in Rondout via three separate tunnels. Water vulnerable to heavy rain events. The events of wastewater and helps restore and maintain then leaves Rondout and travels to West Branch the summer of 2011 illustrate this vulnerability. water quality in New York Harbor. Although the Reservoir in Putnam County via the 90-mile Ron - In late August, Hurricane Irene arrived in the city uses a sanitary sewer system that carries dout/West Branch Tunnel. Water from West Northeast, bringing with it wind and heavy rain. only sewage, it, like other older urban centers, Branch subsequently flows through the Although Irene weakened to a tropical storm as largely is served by a combined sewer system to Kensico Reservoir. The it moved over New York City, it nonetheless where stormwater and sanitary waste are Delaware system provides, on average, brought torrential rains, particularly Upstate, carried through a single pipe. Stormwater 50 percent of the city’s daily demand. which saw more than 16 inches fall in parts of the enters the collections and treatment system Catskill System, and up to 10 inches in a 12-hour from catch basins that direct flow to the city's Because waters from the Catskill and Delaware period in many other areas of the watershed. sewer system. Sanitary waste enters the sewer watersheds mix at Kensico Reservoir, they are Twenty-three US Geological Survey stream system through direct connections from frequently referred to as one system: the gauges in the Catskill and Delaware watersheds buildings. From there, wastewater flows by Catskill/ Delaware system. DEP has completed recorded new maximum flow readings, and the gravity through sewers, about 60 percent of construction of an Ultraviolet Disinfection flooding caused catastrophic damage to water - which are combined sewers. In low-lying areas, Facility to improve and ensure high-quality shed communities, washing out many roads and the city has 96 pumping stations that lift water for the Catskill/ Delaware system. This bridges, damaging many homes, and causing wastewater and stormwater to a higher facility provides secondary disinfection for widespread power outages. DEP responded to elevation and help continue its journey. the resulting elevated levels of turbidity

The Water and Wastewater System in New York City

In-City Rainfall Watershed Rainfall

Reservoirs

NYC Upstate

Catch Green Bluebelts Treatment and Basins Infrastructure Distribution

Homes and Businesses

Storm Sewers Combined Sewers Sanitary Sewers (1,820 miles) (3,330 miles) (2,200 miles) and Pumping Stations (16) and Pumping Stations (31) and Pumping Stations (49)

Combined S ewer Wastewater Overflow F acilities (4) Treatment Plants (14)

Only during heavy rain events

Harbor Receiving Waters

CHAPTER 12 | WATER AND WASTEWATER 208 Kensico Reservoir in Westchester County, NY Credit: DEP

The combined sewer and sanitary sewer In response to these CSO events, the City has high winds that caused erosion on the reser - systems convey wastewater to the City’s 14 invested billions of dollars. Recently, however, voir’s edge, sending natural materials into the wastewater treatment plants. At these plants, the City restructured its approach to implement reservoir. However, DEP was able to adjust water wastewater undergoes five major processes: innovative strategies to absorb rain before it supply operations at Kensico so that water sup - preliminary treatment; primary treatment; can enter sewers, and, in the process, create ply distribution and quality in the city were not secondary treatment; disinfection; and, finally, systems of greenery that shade and beautify affected. The city’s robust water quality testing sludge treatment. Preliminary treatment the city. In September 2010, Mayor Bloomberg system, which takes more than 500,000 samples screens debris and litter to protect the main launched the NYC Green Infrastructure Plan, a per year, sampled locations in the watershed sewage pumps and other equipment. The main comprehensive 20-year effort to meet water and nearly 1,000 stations across the five bor - sewage pumps then lift the wastewater to the quality standards, and in March 2012, the plan oughs during and after Sandy, and confirmed surface level for primary and secondary was incorporated into a consent order with water quality. treatment. Primary and secondary treatments the State that will eliminate or defer $3.4 billion remove on average between 85 and 95 percent in traditional investments and result in Although the system fared well overall and of all pollutants from wastewater (up to 40 per - approximately 1.5 billion gallons of CSO reduc - drinking water remained safe during Sandy, cent removed in primary treatment and up to tions annually by 2030. there were some localized impacts on water another 60 percent in secondary treatment). supply. Many high-rise buildings throughout the Once the treated water is disinfected, it is The City’s Bluebelt program complements its city were unable to pump water to residents on returned to the city’s waterways. Meanwhile, Green Infrastructure program. Bluebelts are upper floors due to the loss of power to their the remaining sludge is treated, with the result - natural areas that often enhance existing pumping systems. Meanwhile, in Breezy Point, ing material, known as biosolids, frequently drainage corridors (such as streams, ponds, a private community on the Rockaway Penin - shipped elsewhere for disposal in landfills, or and other wetland areas) and convey, treat, and sula in Queens, fires caused significant disrup - for use as compost or fertilizer. retain stormwater in place of traditional “grey” tion to the neighborhood’s private water infrastructure. Bluebelts engineer these natural distribution system, which draws its supply All of the city's 14 wastewater treatment plants elements to slow the flow of water and use veg - from City-owned mains. Finally, while some City- are located along the waterfront at relatively etation and other elements to absorb and filter owned water main breaks were reported, there low elevations. Waterfront locations signifi - impurities. DEP’s Bluebelt program started in was no significant spike citywide, and in these cantly reduce the cost and environmental im - Staten Island (with almost 10,000 acres now in individual cases it took DEP an average of five pact of treating wastewater in New York City, place) and is now expanding in Staten Island hours to restore water service. making it easier for flow to arrive by gravity and and into other parts of the city, including providing nearby waterways to discharge Southeast Queens. However, Sandy did impact the city’s treated effluent. Secondarily, but also impor - wastewater treatment plants, which are along tantly, the waterfront location further allows the waterfront and at low elevations, and are sludge to be transported efficiently by boat to What Happened During Sandy thus particularly vulnerable to storm surge. To DEP facilities for additional treatment. address these impacts, DEP worked tirelessly While Sandy's impact on the water supply was to ensure that the system would perform its Under normal conditions, system capacity is minimal, impacts on the wastewater system were core functions without significant disruption. adequate to perform full treatment for the com - more significant—predominantly as a result of bined volume of sewage. During periods of rain - storm surge and the loss of electrical power. During Sandy, 10 of DEP’s 14 wastewater fall when flow exceeds two times dry weather treatment plants were damaged or lost power, capacity, the combined volume of sewage and Sandy passed to the south of the Catskill/ and released untreated or partially treated stormwater quickly can exceed the capacity of Delaware watershed and, therefore, brought wastewater into local waterways. Three of these the wastewater treatment plants. The system minimal rainfall and did not affect the city’s water facilities were non-operational for some time as is designed to discharge a mix of stormwater supply substantially. All of New York City’s drink - a result of the storm: Coney Island for two and wastewater—called combined sewer over - ing water treatment and distribution facilities hours, North River for seven hours, and Rock - flow or CSO—into nearby waterways to drain remained operational and supplied potable away for three days. The other facilities the city quickly and prevent the biological water throughout the storm. Kensico Reservoir maintained at least partial treatment, including processes at the wastewater treatment plants in Westchester County, part of the Catskill/ removal of pollutants and disinfection of effluent from becoming compromised, which could Delaware System, did experience a spike in tur - before water from these plants was discharged lead to extended service outages. bidity. The turbidity at Kensico was the result of into waterways. Although, collectively,

209 A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT NEW YORK wastewater treatment plants operated at more Volume of Wastewater Treated During Sandy than twice their normal flow rate at the height of the storm, approximately 560 million gallons of 100% untreated sewage mixed with stormwater and 3,50 0 y F t 90% i seawater was released into local waterways, l o c w a 3,00 0 equivalent to approximately half a day’s worth of p 80% R a a C

normal wastewater treatment. ( See chart: t r 70% e

e 2,50 0

( h Volume of Wastewater Treated During Sandy ) M t a i

60% l e l  i

2,00 0 o W

Normal Flow Treated n t   Most of the damage to wastewater facilities 50% G e a W l involved electrical systems and equipment, 1,50 0 l l

40% o  a n including substations, motors, control panels, t s o

T

30% p 1,00 0 t junction boxes, and instrumentation. Sandy’s e  n r

e 20% D floodwaters inundated the lower levels of c a r y e 50 0 ) facilities, where much of this equipment is P 10% Height of Storm located. Even where electrical systems were 0% 0 M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M not damaged during Sandy, utility power M P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A                                         0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : outages forced many facilities to operate on : 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 9 3 6 6 9 9 3 9 6 3 6 3 9 6 3 3 6 9 3 6 3 9 6 3 6 9 9 3 9 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 emergency generators for up to two weeks. 1 10/27/2012 10/28/2012 10/29/2012 10/30/2012 10/31/2012 Where shutdowns occurred, DEP worked quickly to mitigate impacts. For example, the Source: DEP Rockaway Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), which treats approximately 1 percent of the Pumping Stations Affected By Sandy city’s wastewater, suffered severe flooding—as did the upstream sewers and the surrounding Pumping Station Functionality community—and was shut down during and Normal immediately after the storm; just three days Severly Affected later it was providing partial treatment, and (Needed Generator Power) two weeks later, it was fully back online. Destroyed (Needed a New Pump Installed) Many of DEP’s wastewater treatment plants, Inundation (Feet Above Ground) however, performed well throughout the Less Than 3 storm. For example, the Oakwood Beach plant 3 - 6 in Staten Island was able to treat 80 million 6 - 10 gallons of wastewater during the storm—twice More Than 10 its normal level—despite being surrounded by Sandy’s surge and incurring some damage. This performance is attributable at least in part to the elevation of critical systems during a facility upgrade that took place more than three decades ago—and the dedication of the workers who stayed and continued operations even while the plant was surrounded by water.

In addition to affecting treatment facilities, Sandy also affected pumping stations. Forty- two of 96 such stations were damaged or lost power. Power outages were responsible for roughly half of the impacts, with storm surge inundation responsible for the other half— primarily in coastal communities in Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens. At inundated pumping stations, many of which are under - ground, recovery required not just pumping floodwaters out of the stations, but also repairing damage caused by the corrosive Source: DEP; FEMA (MOTF 11/6 Hindcast surge extent) impact of seawater on electrical equipment. (See map: Pumping Stations Affected By Sandy ) after Sandy’s floodwaters receded. Within four Despite the rapid response, Sandy’s surge led days of Sandy, 13 of 14 wastewater treatment to the release of wastewater into New York’s Thanks to an immediate response by DEP em - plants and most pumping stations were fully waterways. As DEP reported, approximately ployees, most affected treatment plants and operational, treating 99 percent of New York 560 million gallons of untreated combined pumping stations were running again shortly City’s wastewater. sewage, stormwater, and seawater from

CHAPTER 12 | WATER AND WASTEWATER 210 Confirmed Sewer Backup and Street Flooding Complaints Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, 2012 water disinfection process. These conditions are particularly challenging if extreme rainfall 311 Complaints by Zip Code events happen one right after another, before 0 - 3 the impacts of a previous event have been 4 - 10 controlled fully. This vulnerability of the water 11 - 20 system, particularly the Catskill system, is 20 + expected to be tested with greater frequency through the 2050s with increases in heavy downpours in the New York region.

Storm surge, on the other hand, poses a major risk for the city’s wastewater treatment plants and pumping stations, as Sandy demonstrated. Floodwaters from the surge can damage equipment and disrupt the power supply at these facilities; consequently, partially treated or untreated sewage can spill into waterways around New York City.

This vulnerability only will increase as the climate changes. Given their waterfront locations, accord - ing to a recent DEP study, by the 2050s, all of the city’s 14 wastewater treatment plants will have at least some of their equipment located below the Base Flood Elevation (BFE), or the height to which floodwaters are expected to rise during a “100- year flood” (a flood with a 1 percent or greater chance of occurring in any given year). As sea lev - Source: DEP els rise, expected flood heights will also increase, putting a greater percentage of treatment facility sewers, and another approximately 800 million also deposited sand and debris in and around equipment at risk of flooding and increasing the gallons of partially treated and disinfected drainage systems, which slowed the drainage likelihood that surge from a coastal storm would wastewater, were released into waterways. process. Recorded complaints for sewer back - disrupt or even shut down DEP facilities. The per - After Sandy, DEP collected samples of water ups and flooding, received through the City’s centage of critical equipment that is estimated to quality throughout the harbor. Data from these 311 service, were concentrated in highly devel - be below expected flood heights, based on New samples showed that water quality in New York oped areas near the waterfront. DEP inspected York City Panel on Climate Change “high end” sea Harbor was not affected significantly by the the areas of all recorded complaints and per - level rise projections for the 2050s, varies by storm. Some localized and limited exceptions formed any necessary work. DEP crews facility from as little as less than 1 percent at were attributable, at least in part, to damage at cleaned more than 3,500 catch basins and Jamaica WWTP to potentially as much as wastewater treatment facilities in other regional flushed more than 190,000 linear feet of sewer 70 percent at Hunts Point WWTP. municipalities outside of DEP’s jurisdiction. lines in the three weeks following the storm, These third-party impacts were concentrated in and accompanied other City agencies in addi - Meanwhile, of the city’s 96 pumping stations, waterways near and . tional cleanup efforts. (See map: Confirmed 37 are located in the 100-year floodplain indi - Sewer Backup and Street Flooding Complaints cated in the Federal Emergency Management Part of the reason that Sandy’s impact on water Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, 2012 ) Agency (FEMA) 2013 Preliminary Work Maps. quality was so limited was likely Sandy itself. The That number is expected to grow over time— same high volume of seawater that affected to 48 by the 2020s and 58 by the 2050s. ( See some DEP assets also helped to dilute the dis - What Could Happen in the Future sidebar: Reducing Flood Risk to Key Waste - charge of untreated or partially-treated sewage. water Infrastructure ) Nonetheless, as a precautionary measure, two The greatest climate change-related risk to the days after Sandy, the City issued a recreational city’s water supply is runoff from heavy down - Other Risks water body advisory for the Hudson and East pours affecting water quality in reservoirs. By The city’s wastewater system is also at risk from Rivers, New York Harbor, Jamaica Bay, and the contrast, the greatest risk faced by the city’s gradual sea level rise—without storm surge. . The advisory remained in place for wastewater system is storm surge inundation Sea level rise itself may cause flow to back up 30 days and was lifted after DEP testing of critical assets, potentially leading to release during heavy rain and limit the ability of some confirmed that the waterways were safe. of untreated or partially treated wastewater. wastewater treatment plants to operate at full capacity, leading to CSO events and release of Another impact of Sandy was sewer backups, Major Risks partially treated sewage into area waterways. which occurred in some coastal areas. Sandy’s Heavy downpours pose a significant risk to the surge inundated properties and the sewer sys - city’s water supply system. They produce in - Increased precipitation and heavy downpours tem through catch basins, manholes, and creased runoff, which causes high pathogen alone, regardless of sea levels, also could lead storm drains in the streets. While ultimately, the and contaminant levels in reservoirs, increases to CSO events. Furthermore, heavy downpours city’s drainage systems helped to drain flood - turbidity due to the underlying geology of land can overwhelm the sewer system and cause water after the storm surge receded, the surge near the reservoirs, and affects the drinking

211 A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT NEW YORK Risk Assessment: Impact of Climate Change on Wastewater Major Risk Moderate Risk Minor Risk

Scale of Impact

Hazard Today 2020s 2050s Comments

Gradual At higher water levels, wastewater treatment plants may not be able to operate at full Sea level rise capacity during heavy rain events, leading to releases of untreated or partially treated sewage into waterways Combined sewage and stormwater could exceed the capacity of wastewater treatment Increased precipitation plants, leading to releases of untreated or partially treated sewage into waterways Higher average Minimal impact temperature Extreme Events Asset damage and power disruption could lead to releases of untreated or partially treated Storm surge sewage into waterways Combined sewage and stormwater could exceed the capacity of wastewater treatment plants, leading to releases of untreated or partially treated sewage into waterways Heavy downpour Sewer system capacity may be exceeded more frequently, leading to street flooding and sewer backups Heat wave INDIRECT: Utility power outages could lead to reduced treatment levels and sewage bypass

High winds Minimal impact

Risk Assessment: Impact of Climate Change on Water Supply Major Risk Moderate Risk Minor Risk

Scale of Impact

Hazard Today 2020s 2050s Comments

Gradual

Sea level rise Minimal Impact

Increased Increased turbidity, pathogen, and contaminant levels could require treatment and precipitation challenge disinfection process

Reduced snowpack, drought, and higher demand could stress water supply Higher average temperature Increased algae growth could affect water color and taste and challenge the disinfection process

Extreme Events

Storm surge Minimal Impact

Increased turbidity, pathogen, and contaminant levels could require treatment and Heavy downpour challenge disinfection process Reduced snowpack, drought, and higher demand could stress water supply Heat wave Increased algae growth could affect water color and taste and challenge the disinfection process

High winds Minimal impact

CHAPTER 12 | WATER AND WASTEWATER 212 Reducing Flood Risk to Key Wastewater Infrastructure

Many of New York City’s 14 wastewater treat - Wastewater Facilities at Risk of Storm Surge Inundation ment plants and 96 pumping stations are sus - ceptible to flood damage from storm surge, as Wastewater Treatment Plants seen during Sandy. With climate change, the vul - Pumping Stations nerability of these facilities likely will increase in June 2013 PWMs 100-Year Floodplain the future. Accordingly, DEP has undertaken a Projected 2020s 100-Year Floodplain detailed facility risk assessment and adaptation Projected 2050s 100-Year Floodplain study to identify which wastewater infrastruc - ture is and will be most at risk of flooding during extreme weather events, and to recommend adaptation strategies to address these risks.

To make its determination of vulnerability, DEP undertook site visits, engineering analysess and interviews with facility personnel. Common flood pathways that DEP examined included doorways, outfall pipes, bulkheads, windows, vents, conduits, and facility tunnel systems. Facility assets were determined to be at risk if they fell below expected flood heights based on “high end” sea level rise projections for the 2050s developed by the New York City Panel on Climate Change.

According to the study, all 14 wastewater treat - ment plants have assets that are at some level of risk. In fact, of the almost 47,700 total assets at these facilities, about 4,000 that are neces - sary for primary treatment and 10,600 other fa - cility assets were shown to be vulnerable. Meanwhile, 58 of the 96 pumping stations were Source: DEP; FEMA; CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities shown to be vulnerable.

Recommended Adaptation Strategy Allocations for Wastewater Facilities DEP also analyzed a projection of its financial ex - posure to the aforementioned vulnerability. Again assuming high end sea level rise projec - tions, the City’s potential exposure was esti - mated to be $900 million at wastewater treatment plants and $220 million at pumping 10% stations. This exposure excluded any costs as - sociated with loss of service or environmental impacts. Based on the potential costs alone, 12% 36% DEP has concluded that there is a clear need for a robust set of protective measures.

To determine which protective measures to 15% prioritize, DEP looked at a portfolio of strategies, including dry flood-proofing buildings with watertight windows and doors, elevating equip - Elevate Equipment ment, making pumps submersible and protect - 27% Flood-Proof Equipment ing electrical equipment with watertight Construct Barrier casings, constructing external flood barriers, Sandbag Temporarily installing temporary sandbagging, and provid - Dry Flood-Proof Building ing backup power generation to pumping stations (wastewater treatment plants are al - Source: DEP ready so equipped).

213 A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT NEW YORK DEP also looked at operational, environmental, Based on the foregoing (as well as studies of The bottom line of the study is that a strategic social, and financial metrics in deciding how to site feasibility and cost-benefit analyses) a mix of protective strategies could avoid almost prioritize its investments. These metrics in - combination of recommended strategies was 90 percent of risk citywide to wastewater treat - cluded historical flooding frequency, proximity selected for each facility. Generally, for assets ment plants and ensure continuous service at to beaches and sensitive water bodies, popula - critical to meeting a minimum required level of pumping stations. In this way, the study set tion served, number of critical facilities such as service, strategies that would result in the high - forth a cost-effective strategy for reducing hospitals affected, and scheduled improve - est resiliency levels were selected, while, for damage to infrastructure and safeguarding ments in DEP’s 10-year capital plan. other assets, DEP sought to strike a balance public health. between resiliency and return on investment.

flooding and backups. The city’s drainage sys - tems, however, are designed to handle heavy rainfall, with capacity for rainfall intensity of 1.5 inches per hour in most areas of the city, where sewers were built prior to 1960, and 1.75 inches per hour in locations with sewers built after 1960.

While increases in temperature can have an ef - fect on water quality in reservoirs, such as in - creased algae growth which can lead to changes in water color and taste and challenge the disin - fection process, it can also lead to more severe water quantity impacts, including droughts. As of the writing of this report, New York City desig - nates the 1963–1965 drought as the “drought of record,” or the city’s anticipated worst-case sce - nario. Though precipitation in the New York City area generally is expected to increase going for - ward, the City does need to monitor drought pat - terns, and changes in winter snowpack which may limit the ability of reservoirs to refill suffi - ciently to meet summer demand . Turbid water spilling from the , Delaware County, NY, June 2006 Credit: DEP Finally, potential disruptions to power supply re - sulting from heat waves are another challenge that the city’s water and wastewater systems may face going forward as the climate changes. However, many facilities have backup generators. Wastewater treatment plants, for instance, are required to have backup generators and maintain partial treatment during a blackout or brownout, thereby limiting the net impact of this risk.

Drought conditions at the Cannonsville Reservoir, Delaware County, NY, Dec. 2001 Credit: DEP

CHAPTER 12 | WATER AND WASTEWATER 214 INITIATIVES FOR INCREASING RESILIENCY IN WATER AND WASTEWATER

facilities from flooding impacts that may occur already are scheduled for capital improve - This chapter contains a series of initiatives that from future storms. Owners of other such facili - ments. DEP will pursue implementation of are designed to mitigate the impacts of climate ties along area waterways also must undertake resiliency projects at these pumping stations in change on New York’s water and wastewater similar protective measures. conjunction with repairs and planned capital system. In many cases, these initiatives are work, and as appropriate based on the level of both ready to proceed and have identified Initiative 1 risk, historical flooding, and potential commu - funding sources assigned to cover their costs. Adopt a wastewater facility design stan - nity impacts, among other criteria. The goal is With respect to these initiatives, the City intend s dard for storm surge and sea level rise to begin implementation in 2014. to proceed with them as quickly as practicable, upon the receipt of identified funding. Sandy damaged wastewater treatment plants Initiative 3 and pumping stations even though the design Harden wastewater treatment plants Meanwhile, in the case of certain other of City wastewater facilities has taken into ac - initiatives described in this chapter, though count the highest historically recorded water All 14 of the city’s wastewater treatment facili - these initiatives may be ready to proceed, they height of nearby water bodies or the BFEs iden - ties are located along the waterfront and are still do not have specific sources of funding tified in FEMA maps. The City, therefore, will therefore at risk in the event of a coastal storm. assigned to them. In Chapter 19 ( Funding ), the adopt an increased level of protection for de - Subject to available funding, the City will City describes additional funding sources, sign and construction of all wastewater facilities protect these critical treatment facilities by which, if secured, would be sufficient to fund based on the latest FEMA maps, modified to re - raising or flood-proofing assets that are critical the full first phase of projects and programs flect sea level rise projections for the 2050s. to the treatment process, constructing barriers, described in this document over a 10-year The design for upgrades to DEP’s Gowanus improving waterfront infrastructure, or imple - period. The City will work aggressively on Canal facility, for instance, will protect any menting redundancy measures to avoid failure securing this funding and any necessary critical equipment that is located at or lower of these critical treatment systems. DEP will third-party approvals required in connection than 2.5 feet above the best-available BFE. DEP target initially facilities that have been identified therewith (i.e., from the Federal or State will adopt the new design guidelines in 2013. as either most at risk or as having the largest governments). However, until such time as implications for adjacent communities and these sources are secured, the City will Initiative 2 waterways, based on the findings of DEP’s proceed only with those initiatives for which it Harden pumping stations in-depth study. These facilities include the Oak - has adequate funding. wood Beach, Coney Island, 26th Ward, Hunts Many of the city’s pumping stations are located Point, Rockaway, and Jamaica WWTPs. The goal in low-lying areas and are necessary to convey is to begin implementation of adaptation meas - Uninterrupted access to high-quality drinking wastewater and stormwater out of communi - ures for these and other facilities in 2014 as part water and continuous treatment of wastewater ties; however, their location also increases their of repairs and other planned capital projects. are critical to the viability of New York City as vulnerability to storm surge. Therefore, subject the climate continues to change. Though, as to available funding, the City will retrofit these Initiative 4 Sandy demonstrated, the city’s water and pumping stations for resiliency. These protec - Explore alternatives for the Rockaway wastewater systems are already highly resilient tive measures include raising or flood-proofing Wastewater Treatment Plant due to investments over many decades, the city critical equipment, constructing barriers, and cannot function without either system. DEP, installing backup power supplies. Preliminary The Rockaway WWTP was one of the most heav - therefore, will accelerate its resiliency efforts estimates indicate that there are currently 58 ily damaged wastewater facilities during Sandy. across a range of initiatives, including both at-risk pumping stations, of which several However, prior to investing significant funds to existing and new efforts. DEP’s strategies will include protecting wastewater treatment facilities from storm surge, improving and expanding drainage infrastructure, and investing in the projects which increase the redundancy and flexibility of the water system. Strategy: Protect wastewater treatment facilities from storm surge

The City’s investments in wastewater treatment over many years have resulted in dramatic im - provements in the waterfront’s ecological con - ditions, making the area a safer place to live and enhancing opportunities for public recreation. However, a substantial number of critical waste - water treatment assets are located, by design, in low-lying areas at risk of flooding in an ex - treme weather event. To minimize disruptions to its wastewater systems and protect its water - Rendering of cogeneration facilities at North River Wastewater Treatment Plant in Manhattan front, the City must protect its vulnerable Credit: DEP

215 A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT NEW YORK protect the plant from future storms, the City will consider converting it to a pumping station, which would be less expensive to protect, and potentially transferring its treatment responsibil - ities to a less vulnerable wastewater treatment facility elsewhere in the city. The City will conduct a feasibility study to consider all options. In addition to potentially decreasing future opera - tions and maintenance needs, the conversion of this treatment plant would provide the opportu - nity to incorporate protective measures that would help avoid the failure of critical systems in future extreme weather events, and the poten - tial impacts to water quality that could come with such failure. DEP will initiate the feasibility study in 2014 and, based on the results and sub - ject to available funding, will consider moving forward with the conversion while incorporating additional resiliency measures. Initiative 5 Develop cogeneration facilities at North River Wastewater Treatment Plant

The North River WWTP, in Upper Manhattan, had to cut off its electrical power supply when wa - ters threatened the plant’s internal substation. While, like other wastewater treatment plants, Stormwater running into a green infrastructure bioswale the facility was able to run on generators, it did Credit: DEP have to power down for several hours. The City Wards Island WWTP. These measures, which will continue to enhance the reliability of this crit - Strategy: Improve and expand could include energy efficiency, increased gen - ical facility by installing cogeneration equipment eration and use of renewable energy supplies drainage infrastructure there while hardening electrical assets. Using such as methane gas and solar energy, and co - methane generated by the wastewater treat - generation, would improve the ability of waste - ment process itself, cogeneration will produce Increased rainfall and heavy downpours may water treatment plants to operate reliably electric power to keep wastewater treatment contribute to increases in street flooding, during disruptions to the electrical grid while processes at North River online during power sewer backups, and combined sewer over - also enabling significant reductions in DEP outages or during peak summer load periods, flows. Improving the city’s sewer systems will greenhouse gas emissions. Over the long term, when Con Edison may request that the facility re - enhance the ability of the existing infrastructure DEP will continue to plan and design new and duce its power usage. The project will replace to cope with environmental changes. To this improved wastewater treatment facilities with the existing engines at the treatment plant with end, DEP will continue to implement a number the ultimate goal of recovering and producing new, efficient motors and a cogeneration system of its programs that are already under way and, all energy on site, where feasible. DEP will begin that will generate electricity sufficient to meet where opportunities exist, will seek to expand a feasibility study for cogeneration at Wards base electrical demand and recover heat for the these programs. Island in 2013, with implementation and other treatment plant’s entire process and building efforts to follow based on results and subject to Initiative 8 needs. DEP projects that design of the cogener - available funding. ation project at North River WWTP will be com - Reduce combined sewer overflows with pleted by 2015, with construction timeline Initiative 7 Green Infrastructure pending design specifications. Encourage regional resiliency planning As climate change brings increasing rainfall vol - Initiative 6 ume to the New York area, the city may also ex - Even if the City protects its wastewater treat - Explore opportunities to expand cogen - perience shifts in the frequency and volume of ment assets, the water quality at certain loca - eration and other energy measures CSOs. The City will continue to implement its tions in New York Harbor may still be at risk Green Infrastructure Plan and CSO Long-Term should non-City facilities discharge sewage at a Although all city wastewater treatment plants Control Plans (LTCPs) to reduce such CSOs. For large scale—as happened during Sandy. The maintain backup power supplies, there are this purpose, DEP, working with the Depart - City, therefore, immediately will call upon other measures that will improve the ability of ment of Parks & Recreation and Department of nearby utilities in New York and New Jersey to wastewater treatment plants to operate reliably Transportation (NYCDOT), will continue to pur - take measures to protect their wastewater fa - during disruptions to the electrical grid. The City sue its plan to capture the first inch of runoff in cilities from storm surge and sea level rise. will explore the feasibility of expanding cogen - 10 percent of impervious surfaces citywide in Through regional resiliency planning, the City eration and other energy-related reliability areas within the combined sewer system by and neighboring municipalities alike can pro - measures to other wastewater treatment plants 2030. At the same time, DEP also will continue tect our shared Harbor. in the city besides North River, including the to develop LTCPs to evaluate long-term

CHAPTER 12 | WATER AND WASTEWATER 216 INITIATIVES FOR INCREASING RESILIENCY IN WATER AND WASTEWATER

solutions to reduce CSOs and improve water qual - ity in New York City’s waterways. DEP will issue an LTCP for Alley Creek in Queens in 2013, with nine additional water body-specific LTCPs and one city - wide LTCP to follow by 2017—including plans for , the , , and Jamaica Bay. Initiative 9 Reduce combined sewer overflows with high-level storm sewers citywide

While the construction of new, green infrastruc - ture is an effective solution to manage rainfall and reduce CSOs in some locations, in other areas, it will be more cost-effective to enhance the city’s existing sewer system. The City will augment ex - isting combined sewers with high-level storm sewers in certain areas near the water’s edge Bluebelt installation under normal conditions around the city. These high-level storm sewers sit Credit: DEP on top of the combined sewer and accept stormwater from the street before diverting it to Citywide Bluebelt Map a nearby waterway, with the combined sewer below it sending wastewater and a reduced Future Bluebelt Installation amount of stormwater to a treatment plant. Such Existing Bluebelt Installation high-level storm sewers are able to capture 50 Watershed Boundaries percent of rainfall before it enters combined sew - Mid Island ers. Among the benefits of high-level storm sew - ers are mitigation of CSOs and the potential to South Richmond reduce street flooding. To this end, DEP will con - tinue to pursue approximately 15 high-level storm sewer projects that will be completed by 2023, and will continue to seek additional oppor - tunities near the water’s edge for additional high- level storm projects that are deemed to be most cost-effective and can be implemented in con - junction with NYCDOT street improvements and other community infrastructure projects. Initiative 10 Continue to implement and accelerate investments in Bluebelts across the city

Some areas of the city lack a fully built-out storm sewer system, and street flooding can occur even during minimal rain events. The City will, in addi - tion to implementing new sewer build-outs and upgrades, continue to implement and accelerate its innovative Bluebelt drainage program. It will do so in several of these areas where opportuni - ties exist to preserve and enhance natural areas, including streams, ponds, and other wetlands that remove pollutants before stormwater enters Credit: DEP waterways. Through the next decade, DEP will complete substantially the South Richmond Blue - well as surrounding neighborhoods in South - belt in Staten Island and additional Bluebelts in Initiative 11 east Queens, such as Rosedale and Jamaica, do Twin Ponds, Queens. DEP also will begin to con - Build out stormwater sewers in areas of not have fully built-out storm sewer systems struct the Mid-Island Bluebelt on the East Shore Queens with limited drainage systems and currently experience street flooding, which of Staten Island. DEP will also accelerate planning may be exacerbated if rainfall increases with cli - and design of some Bluebelt systems including Large areas of South Queens, including por - mate change. DEP, therefore, will continue to in in the Bronx and at Last tions of Broad Channel, Edgemere, Bayswater, build out the storm sewer systems in these lo - Chance Pond in Staten Island, subject to available Far Rockaway, Rockaway Beach and Arverne, as cations along with sanitary sewer upgrades and funding and environmental review.

217 A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT NEW YORK high-level storm sewers, undertaking approxi - bypass tunnel around the section which has the The City also will consider a project to pressur - mately 30 projects through 2023. DEP will seek largest leak. While the bypass is connected and ize the Catskill Aqueduct between Kensico additional sewer build-out, improvement, or the aqueduct is out of service, DEP will repair Reservoir and DEP’s Ultraviolet Disinfection Fa - upgrade opportunities in conjunction with NY - other sections of the tunnel. These repairs will cility, in order to give DEP the ability to maxi - CDOT street improvements and other commu - enhance the reliability of the city’s water supply mize use of water from Kensico Reservoir and nity infrastructure projects, including in areas and maintain flexibility during normal opera - maximize flow to Hillview Reservoir. DEP will with street flooding. tions, as well as during periods when the water begin construction of the interconnection be - system is depleted, or when water quality in tween the Catskill and Delaware system in 2013 Initiative 12 other parts of the system is affected by heavy and, subject to pending analysis, would com - Periodically review rainfall trends and rain or heat waves. Since the Delaware Aque - mence construction of the pressurized Catskill implications for stormwater infrastructure duct will need to be shut down in order to con - Aqueduct after the repair of the Delaware nect the new bypass tunnel, this will result in a Aqueduct is completed in 2022. Future changes in rainfall intensity may warrant temporary decrease in water supply. Accord - reconsideration of sewer design to decrease ingly, in preparation for the shutdown, DEP will Initiative 15 street flooding. DEP recently completed an as - increase the capacity and use of the Catskill and Continue the Watershed Protection sessment of historical rainfall data which re - Croton systems; reactivate a groundwater sys - Program to maintain drinking water quality vealed no changes in hourly and sub-hourly tem in Southeast Queens; and adopt both a new rainfall intensity. However, in order to recognize Water Demand Management Plan that will con - The City will maintain its commitment to pro - any emerging trends in precipitation intensity, serve water citywide, and water shortage rules tect its reservoirs and the watersheds that sur - DEP will work with the Mayor’s Office of Long- to impose use restrictions during droughts and round them while considering the challenges of Term Planning and Sustainability and the New infrastructure repairs. The tunnel shutdown, climate change. DEP will continue to implement York City Panel on Climate Change to create a repairs, and reactivation are expected to be its Long-Term Watershed Protection Program to process to reassess precipitation data periodi - completed in 2022. protect water quality in the streams and other cally and incorporate any advances in climate water bodies that feed its reservoirs, and in the modeling. Based on material emerging trends Initiative 14 reservoirs themselves. The City will continue to indicated by the foregoing, DEP will assess im - Improve interconnection between the acquire land strategically in the watershed and plications for the sizing of stormwater deten - Catskill and Delaware aqueducts and manage that land. DEP also will continue its tion systems, sewer site connections, and maximize capacity to deliver water from stream, farm, and forestry programs. These green infrastructure, as appropriate. These as - the Catskill/Delaware system and other watershed protection efforts help sessments will occur approximately every eight maintain water quality, promote environmen - years, with the next reassessment in 2021. The impacts of climate change on the city’s tally compatible economic development, and three water supply systems—the Catskill, enable the City to avoid building a water filtra - Strategy: Promote redundancy Delaware, and Croton systems—are likely to tion facility for the Catskill/Delaware systems. vary. For example, while the Catskill system is DEP’s support of these programs in the water - and flexibility to ensure constant prone to elevated turbidity, the Delaware sys - shed also helps to reduce the high levels of nu - supply of high-quality water tem is less so. This variability is one of the trients associated with stormwater, which can strengths of the city’s water supply system. otherwise cause increased algae levels in reser - The City owns and operates an extensive water However, tapping into that strength requires voirs. In 2013, DEP expects that the filtration supply network that may increasingly be af - the right infrastructure. The City, therefore, will waiver applicable to the Delaware and Catskill fected by climate change. However, redun - complete several planned infrastructure proj - systems will be revised and will incorporate up - dancy and flexibility, which are already built into ects, including a new connection between the dates to its Long-Term Watershed Protection the system, allow the City to draw upon the Catskill and Delaware water supply systems. Program, as outlined above. largest quantity of water from the highest-qual - ity sources in varying weather conditions. Build - ing on this redundancy and flexibility, the City will protect critical infrastructure and water - Existing shed lands and improve upon the physical con - Shaft 5A nections between different parts of the system to enable the use of the most appropriate source of water at any given moment in time. Bypass Tunnel Shafts Initiative 13 Repair the leak in the Delaware Aqueduct Existing Shaft 6

Every drop of clean water counts, particularly in times of drought and other extreme weather Existing Tunnel events that affect supply. The City will imple - ment planned repairs to the Delaware Aque - Bypass Tunnel duct, which conveys, on average, 50 percent of the city’s water from Upstate sources. This aqueduct has been leaking between 15 and 35 million gallons of water a day for many years. In Rendering of the bypass tunnel around the leaking section of the Delaware Aqueduct 2013, DEP will begin construction of a three-mile Credit: DEP

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