Thirsty City: A History of Water for New York City Manohar Patole Wagner Graduate School of Public Service New York University November 5, 2015

Courtesy of National Geographic (http://ngm. nationalgeographic

Presentation Outline Introductions History Current System Conclusions Question and Answers

Introductions Education Research Interests UNESCO-IHE/UoD NYU Wagner WATSAN for Urban Poor in LEDC Transboundary Water Governance Water for Agriculture History of New York Water

History Why History Important? Upstream/Downstream conflicts not new From Damming to Development Water system expansion reaction to growth ex: 1890 (pop ~1.5million) to 1900 (~3.4million) Age of infrastructure/Cost of Rehabilitation Public Health/Water Supply connection Cholera to E.Coli to Legionella

History Geology Geology has influenced the development of NYC Built on three strata: Manhattan Schist Inwood Marble Fordham Gneiss Three major ancient fault lines: Mosholu Fault in Van Cortlandt Park 125th Street and Dyckman Street Faults in Upper Manhattan

History Dutch New York Hudson’s and Dutch East India in 1609 Incorporated as New Amsterdam in 1653 First public well dug 1666 in front of Bowling Green Second public, first stone-lined in 1671 at City Hall Collect Pond used for public water supply Up to 70ft deep, providing water through 1800’s Function of Mica Schist descent from Village to Chambers “Traded” for Suriname in 1674

History British New York More people, more water First systematic public well-digging starts around 1677 Who was responsible for construction and financing? Doesn’t finish until 1688 with 8 wells Only served private citizens Primarily used for???

History British New York Next century experiences strain on the quasi-private water distribution systems Overpumping Poor sanitation Increased Pollution Pandemics of Cholera and Yellow Fever

History British New York Christopher Colles Prolific Irish engineer NYC is better than London, Paris, Boston and Philadephia Limited potential because of water 1774 Proposed the first public water distribution system Series of wells Steam engine to power pump Storage and distribution Legacy leads NY Board of Health (1792) Project delayed… why?

History 2 5 4 1 6 7 10 9 12 11 13 8 3 Sherman’s Creek Courtesy of NYPL (Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library. (1909). 1609. The island of Manhattan (Mannahtin) at the time of its discovery showing its elevations, water-courses, marshes, and shore line) Sherman’s Creek Harlem Creek (Morningside Heights to Harlem/East River) Saw Kill (CP North/74th Street) Turtle Bay (UN Harbor) Sun Fish Pond (Park & 31st to Kips Bay/Times Square) Cedar Creek (Madison Sq/18th Street) Great Kill (Western 42nd) Minetta Water (Union Square to Greenwich) Lispenard Meadows Collect Pond (Chambers and Canal St) Beekman Swamp (Brooklyn Bridge) Smit’s Vly (Broadway/Maiden Lane) Heere Grachts (Broad Street)

History Chart courtesy Jules Schorzman http://assembleme.com/blog/2006/4/13/new-york-city-charts.html

History American New York Colles project details lost, have to start over Water distibution allows for first Fire Department (1830) Impounding Croton River begins 1837 “Superstorm”! Why 50 years? Aqueduct used until the 1950’s Project delayed AGAIN!

History

History

History American New York Project resumes with expansion of system in 1873 New Croton Reservoir 1890 Westchester and Putnam Counties in NY State 9 miles long Drainage basin of 57 mi2 19 billion gallons at full capacity What happens in 1898?

History

History American New York Catskill System 1907-1928? Board of Water Supply established 1905 Decides to develop region for water supply Catskill System 1907-1928? Aqueduct completed in 1916 Esophus Creek, Ashokan Reservoir, Schoharie Reservoir, and Shandaken Tunnel

History American New York Delaware System 1937-1964 Approved in 1928 but delayed by an action brought by the State of New Jersey in the Supreme Court of the United States to enjoin the City and State of New York from using the waters of any Delaware River tributary. In May 1931 the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the right of the City to augment its water supply from the headwaters of the Delaware River.

History American New York Delaware System 1937-1964 The Delaware Aqueduct in 1944 Rondout Reservoir in 1950 Neversink Reservoir in 1954 Pepacton Reservoir in 1955 Cannonsville Reservoir in 1964.

Current System of New York City 22 wastewater treatment plants (14 servicing just New York City) 6,500 miles (10,459km) of water mains, and 6,300 miles (10,137km) of sewers 19 reservoirs, 3 controlled lakes, 3 tunnels* Tunnel 3? No significant interruptions since 1842 (DEP 2015)

Current System of New York City Over 8 million residents served Does not include tourism or supply for other counties 3 separate systems (Croton, Catskill, Delaware) obtain water from some 2,000 square miles of watershed in upstate New York 3 systems can supply a maximum of 1,850 gal/day NYC Residents use about 1,500 gal/day! Approximately 95% total water supply delivery by gravity, except during drought conditions Energy costs primarily related to treatment One of six cities in USA exempt from filtration

Current Issues with NY Water Croton Water filtration plant about $2.1 billion Continued upstream/downstream conflicts High physical losses up to 36 million gal/day Tunnel 3 construction delayed until 2020 ASCE Infrastructure Report Card for NY State: C- Drinking Water: C Wastewater: D

Thank You Questions? mrp251@nyu.edu