New York City Department of Environmental Protection

Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor Emily Lloyd, Commissioner

New York City’s 

Wastewater Treatment System

Cleaning the Water We Use • Protecting the Environment We Live In
NYCDEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New York City Department of Environmental Protection

NYSDEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

NYCDOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New York City Department of Sanitation

USEPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . United States Environmental Protection Agency

NYPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New York Power Authority

NYCSWCD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New York City Soil and Water Conservation District

ALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . American Littoral Society

WPCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Water Pollution Control Plant

NYOFCo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New York Organic Fertilizer Company

IPP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Industrial Pretreatment Program

PERC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Perchloroethylene

CSO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Combined Sewer Overflow

EBPP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enhanced Beach Protection Program

MGD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Million Gallons per Day

CWA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clean Water Act

PCB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Polychlorinated Biphenols

PAHs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Poly-Aromatic Hydrocarbons

BOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Biochemical Oxygen Demand

TSS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total Suspended Solids

DO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dissolved Oxygen

BNR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Biological Nutrient Removal

New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 1

List of Acronyms
How Water Gets to Us¬ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

History of New York City Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Wastewater Treatment – Past and Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

Nitrogen Control Applied Research Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Wastewater Treatment Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9

Preliminary Treatment

Primary Treatment

Secondary Treatment

Disinfection

Sludge Treatment

Thickening

Digestion

Sludge Dewatering

Beneficial Use of Biosolids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

How Biosolids Are Used . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11

Land Application

Composting

Alkaline Treatment

Heat Drying

How New York City Protects Its Water Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Testing New York City Waterways

Environmental Concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Toxic Substances

Pollution Control Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-16

Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP)

Persistent Pollutant Track-down Program 

Perchloroethylene Program (PERC)

Corrosion Control Program

2 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

Table of Contents
Pollution Control Programs Continued . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-16

Pollution Prevention Program

Dry Weather Discharges

Grease

Pumping Station Telemetry

Combined Sewer Overflows

Floating Debris

Water Quality Monitoring

Regulatory Telemetry System / Enhanced Beach Protection Program

Nutrients

Water Waste

Map of New York Harbor and Historical Sampling Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Diagram of Treatment Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17

How You Can Make a Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19 

Conserve Water

Keep Hazardous Substance out of the Sewer System

Don’t Litter

Use Mass Transportation

Dispose of Household Grease Properly

Volunteer for Shoreline Cleanup and Survey Programs

Report Dry Weather Discharges

Map of New York City Plant Locations and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

New York City Wastewater Treatment Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-24 

DEP Sludge Vessels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Wastewater Treatment Plants Before Modernization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-30

Bureau of Wastewater Treatment Organizational Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

How to Get in Touch with DEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 3
4 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

History of New York City Water

Where does New York City’s water 

come from?

Each day New York City delivers about 1.3 billion gallons

of safe drinking water to over 8 million City residents and

another 1 million consumers who live in Westchester,

Putnam, Ulster and Orange Counties north of the City.

The source of New York City’s drinking water is supplied

by a network of 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes in

a 1,972 square-mile watershed that extends 125 miles

north and west of New York City.

Between the water supply and wastewater treatment

systems are millions of New Yorkers and visitors to the

City and an elaborate network of sewers and water mains.

Each person can help these systems run better by

conserving water, disposing of garbage and household

chemicals properly and being concerned about water

quality in the City’s surrounding waters.

Where does used water go?

Used water goes into New York City’s extensive

wastewater treatment system. This amazing network

system that cleans our wastewater consists of: over 

6,000 miles of sewer pipes; 135,000 sewer catch basins;

over 494 permitted outfalls for the discharge of combined

sewer overflows (CSOs) and stormwater; 93 wastewater

pumping stations that transport it to 14 wastewater

treatment plants located throughout the five boroughs.

The New York City Department of Environmental

Protection (DEP), Bureau of Wastewater Treatment

(BWT) is responsible for the operation and maintenance

of all facilities related to the treatment of sewage. The

Bureau of Wastewater Treatment has 1,900 employees, an

annual operating budget of $262 million, and an annual

capital budget of $114 million. With these resources,

the 1.4 billion gallons of wastewater discharged by eight

million residents and workers in New York City each and

every day is processed at the treatment plants. After the

treatment process is completed, the plants release highquality, treated wastewater, called effluent, into the

waterways surrounding New York City.
New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 5

Ashokan Reservoir

Before the City’s first upstate reservoir system

was developed in 1842, New Yorkers depended

on well water – and enterprising street vendors –

for their drinking water.

The Dutch, who first settled on the lower tip of

Manhattan, got their water from ponds, streams and

shallow wells. As the population multiplied, the demand

for fresh water grew. With no system for disposing of

sewage and garbage, human and animal waste polluted 

the water supply, causing frequent epidemics of contagious

waterborne diseases, such as yellow fever and cholera. It

soon became abundantly clear that something had to be

done to rid NYC streets of human and animal waste 

and trash.

Wastewater treatment began in New York City in the late

1890s and early 1900s at two locations in Brooklyn and

one in Queens. These became the 26th Ward, the Coney

Island Water Pollution Control plants (WPCP) in

Brooklyn and the Jamaica WPCP in Queens. Because 

of the tremendous use of the City public beaches, these

three areas were considered a high priority. Wastewater

treatment consisted of chemical coagulation for settling 

as well as seasonal disinfection with chlorine. The impetus

was to keep the beaches clean and to protect the health 

of beach goers rather than maintaining water quality.

As the population grew to 3.5 million, these plants

became overburdened. When the link was made between

waterborne bacteria and diseases in humans, it was

recognized that a master plan was needed to study and

protect the surrounding waterways. As a result, in 1904,

the Metropolitan Sewerage commission was created. The

commission undertook harbor surveys and water quality

analysis. It performed studies of the tides, studied the

harbor’s natural flushing action, and developed a City

Master Plan for wastewater treatment plants. The plan

included construction of treatment plants to meet the

needs of the growing population and identify the

optimum locations for future sites.

Between 1935 and 1945 three new plants were

constructed – Wards Island in Manhattan and Bowery

Bay and Tallman Island in Queens. The Wards Island

plant was built to handle flows from the east side of

Manhattan and the lower part of the Bronx. This plant,

which came on line in 1936, was the first to use the

conventional activated sludge concept to treat sewage.

Bowery Bay and Tallman Island also used activated

Wastewater Treatment Past and Present
sludge. As the population approached 7.5 million, the

Coney Island, 26th Ward and Jamaica plants were

upgraded. These six plants brought the citywide capacity

for treatment to 497 million gallons per day (mgd).

Between 1945 and 1965, five new plants were built to

meet the needs of the continually expanding population,

which was now nearing eight million. These were Hunts

Point in the Bronx, Oakwood Beach and Port Richmond

in Staten Island, and the Rockaway and Owls Head plants

in Brooklyn. During this period, the older Bowery Bay,

Coney Island and Tallman Island plants underwent

upgrades. These upgrades included the newly invented

step-aeration process where primary effluent is added

incrementally into the aeration tanks thereby reducing the

detention times and allowing for a more flexible and

accommodating process. With the addition of these five,

there were eleven sewage treatment plants in the City and

the citywide capacity for sewage treatment increased from

497mgd to 1,037mgd.

Between 1965 and 1979, the Newtown Creek wastewater

treatment plant was built in Brooklyn. It was designed to

treat 310mgd and was built on a relatively small footprint

of 30 acres. Its design lacked primary tanks and, as a

result, wastewater traveled from the grit chamber to the

aeration tanks to the final tanks without intermediate

channels, thereby conserving space and minimizing

pumping requirements. The Spring Creek auxiliary plant

was also built. (A pilot combined sewer overflow (CSO)

facility, connected to the 26th Ward plant consisting of a

10 million gallon holding tank for storm water.)

By 1968, 12 wastewater treatment plants were operating

in the area of New York City. They treated over one

billion gallons a day and removed an average of 65 percent

of pollutants from New York City wastewater. In 1972,

the federal government passed the Clean Water Act

(CWA). It dictated minimum standards for wastewater

treatment plants throughout the country. That meant that

plants had to be upgraded to secondary treatment, which

removed up to 85 percent of pollutants. The CWA made

people realize the importance of protecting the environment. Upgrades were performed at eight plants, bringing

the citywide capacity to 1,390mgd. By 1979, nine of the

city’s plants had been upgraded to secondary treatment.

Between 1979 and 1995, the Coney Island and Owls

Head plants were upgraded to full secondary treatment.

Also during this time, two more treatment plants were

completed, the Red Hook plant in Brooklyn and the

North River plant, which was positioned on a platform 

in the Hudson River to treat flows from the west side of

Manhattan. This brought the total number of wastewater

treatment plants to 14. With their completion, virtually 

all raw sewage generated in New York City was being

captured and treated. Today, the City’s wastewater

treatment plants have the capacity to treat dry weather

flows of 1,805 millions gallons daily.

6 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

Applied Research Facilities Interior of Applied Research Facilities View of Centrate Tank at 26th Ward WPCP

PO-55 Physical-Chemical Building

PO-55 BNR Building

Nitrogen Control Applied Research Program
New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 7

Wastewater Treatment Process

Every day, wastewater goes down toilets and drains in

homes, schools, businesses and factories and then

flows into New York City’s sewer system. Runoff from

rain and melting snow, street and sidewalk washing, and

other outdoor activities flows into catchbasins in the

streets and from there into the sewers. In some New York

City neighborhoods, runoff from the streets is carried by

separate storm sewers directly to local streams, rivers and

bays. In most areas of the City, sanitary and industrial

wastewater, rainwater and street runoff are collected in 

the same sewers and then conveyed together to the City’s

treatment plants. This is known as a combined sewer

system. Sometimes, during heavy rains or snow, combined

sewers fill to capacity and are unable to carry the combined sanitary and storm sewage to the plants. When 

this occurs the mix of excess storm water and untreated

sewage flows directly into the City’s waterways. This is

called combined sewer overflow (CSO). Approximately 

70 percent of the City sewers are combined.

Wastewater treatment plants, also called sewage treatment

plants or water pollution control plants, remove most

pollutants from wastewater before it is released to local

waterways. At the plants, physical and biological processes

closely duplicate how wetlands, rivers, streams and lakes

naturally purify water. Treatment at these plants is quick,

taking only about seven hours to remove most of the

pollutants from the wastewater. In the natural environment this process could take many weeks and nature 

alone cannot handle the volume of wastewater that 

New York City produces.

At the City’s wastewater treatment plants, wastewater

undergoes five major processes: preliminary treatment,

primary treatment, secondary treatment, disinfection 

and finally, sludge treatment. Primary and secondary

treatments remove about 85% to 95% of pollutants from

the wastewater before the treated wastewater is disinfected

and discharged into local waterways. Sludge, the byproduct of the treatment process, is digested for stabilization and is then dewatered for easier handling. The

resulting material, known as biosolids, is then applied to

land to improve vegetation or processed further as

compost or fertilizer. (See illustration – “Diagram of

Treatment Process” on page 16-17.)

Preliminary treatment

Several stories underground, wastewater flows into the

plants from sewers connected to New York City’s homes

and businesses. The incoming wastewater, called influent,

passes through screens consisting of upright bars, spaced

one to three inches apart. These bars remove large pieces

of trash including rags, sticks, newspaper, soft drink cans,

bottles, plastic cups and other similar items. This protects

the main sewage pumps and other equipment. The

garbage is transported to landfills. The main sewage

pumps then lift the wastewater from the screening

chamber to the surface level of the plant.

Primary treatment

Next, the wastewater enters primary settling tanks, also

called sedimentation tanks, for one to two hours. The flow

of the water is slowed, allowing heavier solids to settle to

the bottom of the tank and the lighter materials to float.

At the end of the process, the floatable trash, such as

grease and small plastic material, rises and is skimmed

from the top of the tanks surface.

The settled solids, called primary sludge, are then pumped

through cyclone degritters – devices that use centrifugal

force to separate out sand, grit (such as coffee grinds) and

gravel. This grit is removed, washed and taken to landfills.

Heavy solids – everything that has sunk – is then scraped off

the bottom.
The degritted primary sludge is pumped to the plant’s

sludge handling facilities for further processing. The

partially treated wastewater from the primary setting 

tanks then flows to the secondary treatment system.

Secondary treatment

Secondary treatment is called the activated sludge process.

This is because air and “seed” sludge from the plant treatment process are added to the wastewater to break it down

further. Air pumped into large aeration tanks mixes the

wastewater and sludge that stimulates the growth of

oxygen-using bacteria and other tiny organisms that are

naturally present in the sewage. These beneficial microorganisms consume most of the remaining organic

materials that are polluting the water and this produces

heavier particles that will settle later in the treatment

process. Wastewater passes through these bubbling tanks

in three to six hours.

The aerated wastewater then flows to the final settling

tanks which are similar to the primary settling tanks. Here

the heavy particles and other solids settle to the bottom as

secondary sludge. Some of this sludge is re-circulated back

to the aeration tanks as “seed” to stimulate the activated

sludge process. The returned sludge contains millions 

of microorganisms that help maintain the right mix of

bacteria and air in the tank and contribute to the removal

of as many pollutants as possible.

The remaining secondary sludge is removed from the

settling tanks and added to the primary sludge for further

processing in the sludge handling facilities. Wastewater

passes through the settling tanks in two to three hours 

and then flows to a disinfection tank.

Disinfection

Even after primary and secondary treatment, diseasecausing organisms may remain in the treated wastewater.

To disinfect and kill harmful organisms, the wastewater

spends a minimum of 15-20 minutes in chlorine-contact

tanks mixing with sodium hypochlorite, the same chemical

found in common household bleach. The treated wastewater, or effluent, is then released into local waterways.

Disinfection is an essential step because it protects the

health of people who use local beaches and enjoy other

recreational activities on or near the water.

Sludge treatment

The following are typical stages of the sludge treatment

process.

Thickening

The sludge produced by primary and secondary treatment

is approximately 99% water and must be concentrated to

enable its further processing. Thickening tanks allow the

sludge to collect, settle and separate from the water for up

to 24 hours. The water is then sent back to the head of

the plant or to the aeration tanks for additional treatment.

Digestion

After thickening, the sludge is further treated to make it

safer for the environment. The sludge is placed in oxygenfree tanks, called digesters, and heated to at least 95 degrees

Fahrenheit for between 15 to 20 days. This stimulates the

growth of anaerobic bacteria, which consume organic

material in the sludge. Unlike the bacteria in the aeration

tanks, these bacteria thrive in an oxygen-free or “anaerobic”

environment. The digestion process stabilizes the thickened

sludge by converting much of the material into water,

carbon dioxide and methane gas. The black sludge that

remains after digestion has the consistency of pea soup

and has little odor. This is called digested sludge.

Thickening tanks allow the sludge produced by primary and

secondary treatments to settle and thicken (an important step

which aids the sludge digestion process).

8 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System
Methane gas is often used as an energy source at the

City’s wastewater treatment plants. The gas may be used

in engines to produce electricity or directly drive plant

equipment. Gas is also used in boilers to provide heat for

digestion and plant-wide buildings. Currently, DEP and

the New York Power Authority (NYPA) have jointly

installed fuel cells at four of the City’s water pollution

control plants; 26th Ward, Red Hook, Oakwood Beach

and Hunts Point. Fuel cells convert the methane gas and

carbon dioxide into heat and electricity that is then used

to operate the plants. This technology contributes to New

York City’s efforts to enhance clean air operations at its

facilities. There is a significant reduction in air emissions

as a result of using fuel cells.

Digester sludge is pumped from sludge storage tanks 

to a dewatering facility. At some treatment plants, where

there are no dewatering facilities on site, the sludge is

transported for processing through a pipeline or by a

sludge boat to a plant that has a dewatering facility.

(See pictures of sludge vessels on page 25.)

Sludge dewatering

Dewatering reduces the liquid volume of sludge by about

90%. New York City operates dewatering facilities at eight

of its 14 treatment plants. At these facilities, digested

sludge is sent through large centrifuges that operate like

the spin cycle of a washing machine. The force from the

very fast spinning of the centrifuges separates most of the

water from the solids in the sludge, creating a substance

knows as biosolids. The water drawn from the spinning

process is then returned to the head of the plant for

reprocessing. Adding a substance called organic polymer

improves the consistency of the “cake”, resulting in a

firmer, more manageable product. The biosolids cake is

approximately 25 to 27percent solid material.

New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 9

Digester sludge is stored temporarily in a sludge storage tank

prior to dewatering and while awaiting shipment to a plant with

a dewatering facility

Beneficial Use of Biosolids

Since 1938, sewage sludge had been treated as a

waste byproduct and removed from New York

City treatment plants by barge and disposed of at

sea. In 1988, Congress passed the Ocean Dumping

Ban Act, forbidding ocean disposal of sewage sludge

by June 30, 1992. DEP devised a three-pronged

approach – an immediate, an interim, and a longterm program – to administer the 1,200 wet tons of

sludge produced each day. The immediate program

resulted in a final design of eight dewatering

facilities with construction to begin in March 1991.

By December 1991 the first facility went on line.

The other seven were finished and became operational by June 1992 at a cost of$670 million.

Today, the remaining six plants not served by

onsite dewatering facilities transport their sludge

for dewatering either through force mains or

sludge vessels.

For the interim program, three contractors were hired

through five-year contracts at a cost of $100 million per

year to provide land-based biosolids management. The

contractors were responsible for the processing, production

and shipment of biosolids as high-quality soil amendments

and the application thereof. The long-term program

currently costs $50 million annually, and includes three

15-year contracts that were let for the city’s entire biosolids

production through June 2013. After dewatering, the sludge,

now known as biosolids, is 100 percent beneficially used 

as a valuable resource because of its high nutrient and

organic contents. Biosolids and biosolids products are 

used as fertilizers or soil conditioners which are spread 

on parkland, farmland, lawns, golf courses and cemeteries.

Biosolids can also be used to cover inactive landfills or 

as a daily cover for active ones.
Land Application – Biosolids are spread on land to

return nutrients to the soil. Biosolids are spread less than a

quarter inch thick and are sometimes plowed into the soil.

Biosolids have been directly applied to corn crops, wheat

and grazing land in Colorado and Virginia.

Composting – Biosolids are mixed with a bulking agent

(for example – wood chips) which allows oxygen to mix

with the biosolids more easily. The biosolids decompose,

creating compost. This compost is similar to peat moss

and is used as mulch or soil conditioner at golf courses,

nurseries, home gardens, lawns, etc. New York City’s

biosolids are being composted at a facility in Pennsylvania.

Alkaline Treatment – Biosolids are mixed with a highly

alkaline material, such as lime or Portland cement. This

process results in a product, which resembles soil and is

used as an agricultural liming agent. New York City’s

biolosids are alkaline stabilized at a facility in New Jersey.

All of these processes destroy disease-causing organisms

and reduce moisture content, resulting in products that are

easy to handle and have characteristics similar to many

commercial agricultural products.

10 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

Land application of Class ‘B’ biosolids to Texas rangeland.

Florida citrus grove where pellets have been applied.

How Biosolids Are Used

Heat dried pellets are over 99% pathogen free – the nutrient

content for pellets is: 5 – 4 – 3 (5% nitrogen, 4% phosphorus

and 3% potassium)

Fertilizer pellets used by New York City Department of

Transportation to beautify highways.

Biosolids applied to corn crops in Virginia.
DEP maintains and operates the City’s wastewater

treatment system; however, its responsibilities

extend far beyond the management of the plants.

Wastewater treatment is only one part of a very 

broad program to protect and improve the City’s water

environment that includes: pollution prevention and

remediation; maintenance and upgrading of the City’s

sewer and wastewater treatment infrastructure; technically

innovative wastewater collection and treatment; ecosystem

protection; and ongoing scientific and technical research.

The ultimate goal is to reduce and control pollution before

it reaches our wastewater treatment plants.

Testing New York City Waterways

DEP’s Harbor Survey Program tests the New York

Harbor waters and sediments at 37 locations. Sampling

takes place year-round. Weekly sampling takes place from

May through September and monthly from October thru

April. Typical tests measure bacteria, turbidity,

temperature and the level of dissolved oxygen in the water.

The results are used to assess the effectiveness of all of the

City’s water quality programs and to monitor water quality

trends. The Osprey, a vessel equipped with a small laboratory is used to sample the New York City Harbor waters.

Since 1909, DEP has monitored water quality in New

York Harbor, the East River and the Hudson River, and

has published the results annually in its “New York

Harbor Water Quality Report.”

New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 11

Pelletizer plant in the Bronx

How New York City Protects Its Water Environment

DEP manages a comprehensive range of programs

to address many of the most pressing concerns

that threaten our water environment. Following are

program summaries.

Toxic substances

Heavy metals and other toxic chemicals, such as cadmium

and mercury, solvents and pesticides, enter our wastewater

treatment plants every day. Many of these substances come

from industries and business that dispose of chemicals in

their wastewater as part of their regulated industrial

processes. They also come from people who use and improperly dispose of hazardous household items such as cleaning

products, paints and pesticides. One potential source of lead

and copper in wastewater comes from corroding pipes in

existing building plumbing systems. Some toxins in wastewater begin as air pollutants that have fallen to the ground

and are carried by rain water to our plants and waterways.

Wastewater treatment plants cannot destroy all of these

substances so they remain in small amounts (still below

standards set by the State and federal governments) in the

treated wastewater discharged to local waterways.

DEP tests the treated wastewater effluent released from all

14 treatment plants daily for conventional pollutants, and

annually for over 130 “priority pollutants” that the United

States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists as the

worst pollutants to ensure that federal and State standards

are met. These include metals and organic chemicals.

DEP runs programs aimed at reducing some key sources

of toxic substances.

Environmental Concerns

Heat Drying – Biosolids are heated to a very high

temperature to remove moisture and kill pathogens. What

remains are fertilizer pellets. New York City’s biosolids are

made into pellets at a facility in the Bronx. These pellets

are sold across the country, many of them for use in citrus

groves in Florida.

New York City is strongly committed to the continued

beneficial use of its biosolids through environmentally safe

land application programs.
The Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP):

a federally authorized program, works to control commercial discharges by requiring industries targeted by federal

and local pretreatment regulations to remove specific

toxins from their wastewater before it is released into 

the City’s sewer system.

IPP helps to protect the sewers, the wastewater treatment

plants and the City’s receiving waters. The EPA requires

approximately 1,500 municipalities around the country 

to implement industrial pretreatment programs. DEP 

has been a control authority since January 1987. DEP’s

program is annually audited by either the New York State

Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) of the EPA.

Since 1987, the amount of heavy metals being discharged

by regulated businesses fell from over 2000 lbs/day to 

37 lbs/per day.

Two successful IPP programs are the Persistent Pollutant

Track-down Program and the Perchloroethylene (PERC)

Reduction Program.

Persistent Pollutant Track-down Program: a

collaborative effort between DEP and the DEC.

Together, the two agencies work to track down the

sources of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenols),

PAHs (Poly-Aromatic Hydrocarbon), mercury 

and other organic chemical compounds found in 

our harbor waters. When businesses responsible for

pollution are identified, DEP and DEC work with 

them to help establish improved (or first-time) 

methods of pretreatment.

PERC Reduction Program: enforces special sewer

regulations that require dry cleaners to implement a best

management program to limit perchloroethylene (PERC)

discharges into the sewer system. (PERC is a solvent

widely used by drycleaners.) DEP regularly inspects the

City’s dry cleaning establishments to make sure owners

are adhering to PERC regulations.

DEP regulates industrial users of the public sewers in a

variety of categories such as electroplating, metal finishing,

organic chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing. As

part of the IPP, DEP issue permits setting forth applicable

pollutant limits as well as wastewater sampling and

reporting requirements. DEP also regularly inspects IPP

facilities and performs its own wastewater monitoring to

ensure that the regulated facilities are in compliance with

pretreatment standards. Whenever it is determined that a

facility is not meeting its permit limits due to a failure in

operating and maintaining its pretreatment system, or not

installing the proper equipment, DEP will require,

through Notice of Violation and/or Commissioner’s

Order, that remedial action be taken.

Pollution Prevention Program: Pollution Prevention

Programs focus on reduction of toxins from commercial

sources through education and information about “green”

technology and good business management practices.

Dry Weather Discharges: In 1988 DEP initiated the

Shoreline Survey Program. Its purpose was to identify and

eliminate sources of raw sewage discharge into the City’s

waters during dry weather. This program in conjunction

12 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

Osprey Vessel Chlorine Residual Analysis performed by Operations personnel.

Pollution Control Programs
with a more recent one, DEP’s Sentinel Monitoring

Program, has enabled the elimination of 99 percent of dry

weather discharges. DEP continues to work on controlling

the remaining discharges by constructing new sewers and

taking enforcement action to correct illegal connections to

storm sewers.

Grease: Discharges of grease (cooking oil) into the 

sewer system from restaurants and other food related

establishments can block sewers, causing backups and

bypasses. To ensure proper disposal of grease, and prevent

sewer backups, the City requires by law that grease

generating establishments correctly install, operate and

maintain properly sized grease interceptors. Special DEP

staff inspect these establishments to make sure that the

required equipment is installed and working properly.

DEP has initiated an educational program to address

grease discharges from the over 21,000 restaurants in 

New York City. The Grease Response Education and

Strategic Enforcement Program approaches the problem

with a combination of education materials, including

foreign language material, which are distributed to

restaurants in target areas. Sewer blockages can also be

caused by grease and oil improperly disposed of in 

kitchen sinks and toilets in homes and apartments.

Grease thrown down kitchen sinks in homes and

apartments can also cause sewer blockages.

Pumping Station Telemetry: Telemetry is the ability 

to send “real-time” (as it is happening) data to a remote

terminal (computer) by utilizing a radio signal or

telephone line. Since 1998, telemetry has been in

operation at DEP’s 93 wastewater pumping stations

enabling personnel to check the daily operation of these

facilities from a remote computer. This program has already

succeeded in reducing dry and wet weather discharges by

allowing DEP pumping station operators to respond more

rapidly to station malfunctions, breakdowns and other

potentially serious system disruptions.

Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO): The completion

of the Red Hook WPCP (on the lower East River in

Brooklyn) in 1987 ended the last, permitted, dry weather

discharge of raw sewage into New York Harbor. However,

the City still faces the problem of combined sewer

overflows. As noted earlier, CSOs can occur in wet

weather when wastewater treatment plants and/or parts 

of the sewer system fill to capacity with rain or snow.

To relieve pressure on the already filled to capacity

wastewater treatment system, the excess flow is forced

into the open waters of a river, bay or inlet. These

overflows can increase the number of harmful bacteria 

and add other organic pollutants that consume dissolved

oxygen, which marine plants and animals need to survive.

CSOs also carry trash and litter washed from streets and

may contain toxic chemicals.

As a part of a multi-year, $1.8 billion CSO Abatement

Program, the City is building retention tanks to hold the

overflows near heavily impacted bays and tributaries,

installing separate sewers where no sewers exist, and

exploring other innovative solutions. The planning,

design and construction of some of these facilities has

already begun. In addition to construction of these

retention tanks, CSO pollution has already been

noticeably controlled through improvements in DEP’s

operation of its treatment plants and intercepting sewer

system during wet weather.

Floating debris: Litter that washes down storm drains in

the street can easily wind up in local waters and on City

beaches. This unsightly pollution, called floatables, can kill

birds, turtles and other marine animals that mistake trash –

especially plastic – for food. Street litter that goes to the

treatment plants must be separated from the wastewater so

it won’t damage plant equipment. Litter can also clog

storm drains and cause sewer backups and flooding.

The City is also tackling the problem of debris with a

multi-faceted program that includes increased street

cleaning in critically located neighborhoods; regular catch

basin maintenance; replacement of hoods on catch basins

that trap debris before it enters the sewer system; the

booming and netting of sites where combined sewer

overflows enter local waters; operational improvements at

New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 13

Sewer backup – caused illegal discharge of grease into the

sewer system
treatment plants and collections systems, and a fleet 

of skimmer vessels that collect floatables from the 

open waters.

To eliminate illegal shoreline dumping (another source 

of floatable materials), DEP set up a Shoreline Dumping

Prevention Program to monitor the City’s many miles of

shoreline for evidence of recent illegal disposal activities.

Findings are reported to the Department of Sanitation

(DOS) Police for follow-up and possible apprehension 

of illegal dumpers.

Additional programs credited with limiting the discharge

of floatables into the Harbor include the use of demolition

vessels to remove decaying piers, and collaborative efforts

by the US Army Corps of Engineers, EPA and DEC to

collect large floatable debris and skim litter from the open

waters and shorelines.

Water quality monitoring: To gauge the effectiveness 

of wastewater treatment plant programs, water quality is

analyzed at 37 sampling stations throughout New York

Harbor. Since 1970, DEP’s Annual Harbor Survey has

tracked trends showing increases in dissolved oxygen and

decreases in fecal coliform – indicators of improved water

quality. The following diagrams detail these improvements

through fecal coliform measurements. Before 1974, there

was a large area suitable for “fish survival only” (the worst

indicator) and very few areas were labeled as suitable for

bathing. By 1985, the number of “fish survival only” areas

had decreased dramatically while the bathing areas had

increased. By 1988, the “fish survival only” indicator was

issued only for an area of the Hudson River west of

Manhattan and for another small area near Manhattan in

the East River. By 2001, many of the waterways around

New York City were suitable for bathing. (See Diagram

“Fecal Coliform in Surface Waters.”) There have been no

beach closures since 2001, except for precautionary

closings, during the 2003 blackout.

Area-wide decreases in sewage loading have resulted in

greater environmental improvement in the Harbor.

Indicative of this improvement has been the increase of

dissolved oxygen (DO) to levels that better support 

aquatic life.

Harbor Survey monitoring has documented significant

Harbor-wide increases in DO concentrations (~2 mg/L)

over the past 30 years (see below). Today, portions of the

Harbor have DO concentrations above levels first

recorded at the beginning of the 20th century.

Regulator Telemetry System “Enhanced Beach

Protection Program”: Regulator telemetry systems are,

at present, fully installed and operational at 102 regulators.

(A regulator is a device used in New York City’s combined

sewers to control or regulate the diversion of sewage flow

to the treatment plants during dry and wet weather.)

These systems are links to an internet software package

that allows DEP to monitor each individual site

continuously. The telemetry system transmits alarms as

soon as the level of the water reaches a predetermined

elevation in the regulator. DEP initiated the “Enhanced

Beach Protection Program” (EBPP) in 1997 to monitor

pumping stations and regulators that could have an impact

on the City’s beaches. The immediate goal of the program

is to prevent negative water quality impacts that may

result as a consequence of unintended dry weather

bypasses and, ultimately, to prevent beach closures. This

program incorporated the use of telemetry to replace site

visits. The successful implementation of the regulator

telemetry system has had a significant impact in the

reduction of raw sewage bypasses, most important during

the recreational beach season.

Nutrients: Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus are

substances that are excreted by humans and thus found in

wastewater. Excess nutrients can stimulate the growth of

algae and other aquatic plants. When these plants die and

decompose, they may reduce the amount of oxygen in the

water. This condition, called hypoxia, can affect the

survival of fish and other aquatic organisms.

Nutrients can also get into wastewater from industrial

discharges, common household detergents and cleaners,

runoff from streets and lawns and air pollutants that fall to

the ground. Treatment plants cannot remove all nutrients

from the wastewater. They can be reduced by controlling

pollution that comes from lawns, farmland, streets and

construction sites.

14 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l)

Surface

Bottom 

Dissolved Oxygen 

SA Class Standard

I Class Standard
New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 15

Map of New York Harbor and Historical Sampling Sites
16 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

Influent (from households, businesses, etc.)

Bar

Screens

Overflow

Grit

Grit To

Landfill

Skimmings And

Grease To

Landfill

Activated

Sludge

Sludge

Thickening

Main Sewage

Pump

Boiler And Engine

Screenings

To Landfill

Centrate

Centrate

Waste

Sludge Cyclone

Degritter Primary Sludge

Return

Sludge

Pump And Blower

House

Well

Wet

Boiler

Engine

Heat

Settling 

Primary 

Aeration 

Process Layout of a Typical New York City Water Pollution Control Plant
New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 17

Effluent

Chlorine

Contact

Sludge

Digestion

Sludge

Storage

Gas Flame Tower

Storage

Methane Gas

Dewatering

Facility

Centrifuges

Sludge 

Cake

Land Based

Management

Centrate

Landfill

Grease To

Skimmings And

Final 

Settling
DEP has developed a long-term plan to reduce nitrogen

in the effluent that is discharged into New York waters by

the City’s wastewater plants. This process is called Step

Feed Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR). Because

hypoxia is a particular problem in Long Island Sound and

Jamaica Bay, the plan will focus primarily on wastewater

treatment plants that discharge into the upper East River

and Jamaica Bay. To remove nitrogen at these plants,

existing treatment facilities and processes are being

modified. Some interim changes are already in operation

at several of the critically located plants, and additional

work will be in place at the other treatment plants by the

end of 2010. While costly, the test results show that this

technology has been successful in lowering nitrogen

concentrations in the affected bodies of water. The City

has been and continues to invest millions of dollars in the

research and development of new, more cost-effective

technologies, programs and processes that will reduce

nitrogen levels in the wastewater.

Water waste: On average, each New Yorker uses about

100 gallons of water daily – twice as much as residents of

most European cities and many other places in this

country. Naturally, the more water we use, the more

wastewater the treatment plants must process. Since 

each New York City plant is designed to handle a certain

amount of wastewater, when too much comes into a plant,

it reduces its spare capacity. Unless flows can be lessened,

added treatment capacity may be required.

DEP has initiated a comprehensive program to encourage

water conservation and to reduce flows into the City's

treatment plants. The program, which began in 1989,

included the following:

• installation of almost 630,000 residential water meters;

• electronic water main leak detection;

• commercial and residential surveys to locate leaks

within buildings;

• incentives to replace old toilets and showerheads 

with low flow fixtures;

• permanent and seasonal year-round restrictions on

water use such as watering lawns, and hosing sidewalks;

• installation of fire hydrant locking devices;

• public education for school children and City residents.

These programs and others, have proven successful and

cumulatively together have reduced water consumption in

the City by approximately 200 million gallons per day in

the last ten years.

Although wastewater treatment seems like an

enormous and technical process, New Yorkers

can help to maintain a healthy water and environment. Here are some of the things everyone can do:

Conserve water: There are many simple ways to use less

water every day, such as taking shorter showers, turning

off the faucet when you brush your teeth or shave and

fixing leaks.

Keep hazardous substance out of the sewer system:

Reduce the use of hazardous household products. Never

pour hazardous materials down a sink or toilet or dump

them into a storm drain. Save hazardous wastes for a

DOS household waste collection day or wrap them 

safely in plastic and call the DOS for instructions. And

remember, it’s against the law to dump used motor oil

down a storm drain. It should be taken to a gasoline

service station for recycling.

18 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

How You Can Make a Difference
Don’t litter: Everyday items like coffee cups, straws and

candy wrappers tossed into the street may wash down

storm drains and end up on our beaches. If you’ve got

litter to discard, look for a corner waste can or take it

home with you.

Use Mass Transportation: Vehicles are responsible for

90 percent of the carbon monoxide in the air and are the

greatest contributor to ground-level ozone, the major

component of smog. By taking public transportation or

carpooling, you help reduce the toxic chemicals that enter

the wastewater treatment systems as a result of air

pollution.

Dispose of grease properly: Don’t throw used cooking

oil down the sink or toilet as grease accumulations in the

sewer system can cause serious blockages. Every time you

cook, place the leftover oil in a non-recyclable, plastic

container (like a yogurt container or a clear, plastic, takeout food container). Cover and store the container in the

refrigerator. When the container is filled, throw it out

with your regular trash.

Volunteer for Shoreline Cleanup and Survey

Programs: These efforts are co-sponsored by DEP, the

New York City Soil and Water Conservation District

(NYCSWCD) and the American Littoral Society (ALS).

Scheduled beach surveys take place throughout the City.

Volunteers record the amounts and types of floatable

materials that wash up on the beaches. This information

helps DEP keep track of the effectiveness of its floatables

capture programs. If you are interested in participating,

contact the NYCSWCD at (212) 431-9676 and the ALS

at (718) 471-2166.

Report dry weather: If you see dry weather sewage

discharges from any of New York City’s 700 combined

sewer outfalls (an outfall is an outlet along the waterfront

connecting the City’s sewers to the open waters) report it

to the City’s Citizen Service Center at 311.

Each outfall has a sign with the identification number

assigned to it by DEC. Be sure to give the 311 operator

the outfall number when calling to report a problem.

New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 19

The Cormorant Skimmer Vessel patrolling the New York Harbor

for floatables
20 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

Water Pollution Control Plants

Area

No.

Capacity

Mgd

Location

(North, South, East)

 North

1 Bowery Bay 150

2 Hunts Point 200

3 Tallman Island 80

4 Wards Island 275

 East

10 26th Ward 85

11 Coney Island 110

12 Jamaica 100

13 Owls Head 120

14 Rockaway 45

 Total 1805

 South

5 Newtown Creek 310

6 North River 170

7 Oakwood Beach 40

8 Port Richmond 60

9 Red Hook 60

Legend

W.P.C.P

Service AreaBoundary

Service Area Number

Plant has Dewatering

New York City Plant Locations and Capacities
New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 21

Plant in operation: 1944

Design Capacity: 85 MGD

Dewatering: 26th Ward

Population Served: 283,428

Receiving Waterbody: Jamaica Bay

Drainage Area: 5,907 Acres, eastern section of

Brooklyn, near Jamaica Bay

Plant Staff: 93

Plant in operation: 1939

Design Capacity: 150 MGD

Dewatering: Bowery Bay

Population Served: 848,328

Receiving Waterbody: Upper East River

Drainage Area: 15,203 Acres, northeast section

of Queens

Plant Staff: 81

Plant in operation: 1935

Design Capacity: 110 MGD

Dewatering: 26th Ward

Population Served: 596,326

Receiving Waterbody: Jamaica Bay

Drainage Area: 15,087 Acres, south and central

Brooklyn

Plant Staff: 69

Plant in operation: 1952

Design Capacity: 200 MGD

Dewatering: Hunts Point

Population Served: 684,569

Receiving Waterbody: Upper East River

Drainage Area: 16,664 Acres, eastern section of

the Bronx

Plant Staff: 108

Bowery Bay WPCP

26th Ward WPCP

Coney Island WPCP

Hunts Point WPCP

New York City Wastewater Treatment Plants
22 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

Plant in operation: 1903 / 1943

Design Capacity: 100 MGD

Dewatering: Jamaica WPCP

Population Served: 728,123

Receiving Waterbody: Jamaica Bay

Drainage Area: 25,313 Acres, southern section of

Queens

Plant Staff: 66

Plant in operation: 1967

Design Capacity: 310 MGD

Dewatering: Hunts Point WPCP

Population Served: 1,068,012

Receiving Waterbody: East River

Drainage Area: 15,656 Acres, south and eastern

midtown sections of Manhattan,

northeast section of Brooklyn and

western section of Queens

Plant Staff: 88

Plant in operation: 1986

Design Capacity: 170 MGD

Dewatering: Wards Island WPCP

Population Served: 588,772

Receiving Waterbody: Hudson River

Drainage Area: 6,030 Acres, west side of

Manhattan above Bank Street

Plant Staff: 109

First and only Wastewater Treatment Plant in NYC to have a

public park built on top.

Plant in operation: 1956

Design Capacity: 39.9 MGD

Dewatering: Oakwood Beach WPCP

Population Served: 244,918

Receiving Waterbody: Lower New York Bay

Drainage Area: 10,779 Acres, southern section of

Staten Island

Plant Staff: 59

Newtown Creek WPCP

Jamaica WPCP

North River WPCP

Oakwood Beach WPCP
New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 23

Plant in operation: 1952

Design Capacity: 45 MGD

Dewatering: 26th Ward WPCP

Population Served: 90,474

Receiving Waterbody: Jamaica Bay

Drainage Area: 6,259 Acres, Rockaway Peninsula

Plant Staff: 41

Plant in operation: 1952

Design Capacity: 120 MGD

Dewatering: 26th Ward/ Wards Island WPCPs

Population Served: 758,007

Receiving Waterbody: Upper New York Bay

Drainage Area: 12,947 Acres, western section of

Brooklyn

Plant Staff: 68

Plant in operation: 1937

Design Capacity: 275 MGD

Dewatering: Wards Island WPCP

Population Served: 1,061,558

Receiving Waterbody: Upper East River 

Drainage Area: 12,056 Acres, western section of

the Bronx and upper east side of

Manhattan

Plant Staff: 118

Owls Head WPCP

Rockaway WPCP

Wards Island WPCP
24 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

Plant in operation: 1939

Design Capacity: 80 MGD

Dewatering: Tallman Island WPCP

Population Served: 410,812

Receiving Waterbody: Upper East River

Drainage Area: 16,860 Acres, northeast section of

Queens

Plant Staff: 71

Plant in operation: 1953

Design Capacity: 60 MGD

Dewatering: Oakwood Beach WPCP

Population Served: 198,128

Receiving Waterbody: Kill Van Kull

Drainage Area: 9,665 Acres, northern section of

Staten Island

Plant Staff: 46

Plant in operation: 1987

Design Capacity: 60 MGD

Dewatering: Red Hook WPCP

Population Served: 192,050

Receiving Waterbody: Lower East River

Drainage Area: 3,200 Acres, northwest section of

Brooklyn and Governor’s Island

Plant Staff: 55

Port Richmond WPCP

Tallman Island WPCP

Red Hook WPCP
New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 25

Owls Head sludge vessel 

Newtown Creek sludge vessel

DEP Sludge Vessels

North River sludge vessel

Presently, NYC-DEP Marine Section

uses these three sludge vessels for the

transportation of liquid sludge from

wastewater treatment plants without

dewatering capabilities.
26 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

Rockaway

Oakwood Beach

Owls Head

Wastewater Treatment Plants Before Modernization
New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 27

Port Richmond

Red Hook

Newtown Creek

Wastewater Treatment Plants Before Modernization
28 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

26th Ward

Coney Island

Jamaica

Wastewater Treatment Plants Before Modernization
New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 29

Bowery Bay

Hunts Point

Tallman Island

Wastewater Treatment Plants Before Modernization
30 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

North River

Wards Island

Wastewater Treatment Plants Before Modernization
New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System 31

Bureau of Wastewater Treatment
32 New York City’s Wastewater Treatment System

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection distributes 

publications about wastewater treatment, the water supply system, water 

conservation and other environmental issues. For further information,

or to obtain publications, or report water main breaks, streets leaks,

open fire hydrants, sewer or storm drain backups and other problems, contact 

New York City’s 24-hour Citizen Service Center at 311.

You may also visit the New York City DEP web site at:

Call 311 for assistance.

New York City

Department of Environmental Protection

59-17 Junction Blvd., Flushing, New York 11373

Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor

Emily Lloyd, Commissioner

Bureau of Wastewater Treatment

Alfonso R. Lopez, P.E. Deputy Commissioner
Wards Island Wastewater Treatment Plant - 1938