NYC Water Fix Delayed Again

By Y.M. Lowy

A major project to fix a leak in a water tunnel that supplies nearly half of New York City’s water is facing more delays. The work, which was already paused due to drought conditions last fall, now won’t be finished until sometime after 2027.

The tunnel, called the Delaware Aqueduct, is the longest in the world. It carries water from reservoirs in the Catskill Mountains to New York City and nearby areas. For years, city officials have been planning to shut part of it down temporarily to fix a leak that loses up to 35 million gallons of water each day under the Hudson River. A new bypass tunnel has been built, but workers need to connect it during an eight-month shutdown.

That shutdown was supposed to start last fall, when water use is lower. But with little rain and low reservoir levels, the work had to be paused. Now the city needs a new contract for the job and plans to upgrade pumps in the aqueduct as well.