$30 Million Investment In New Water Mains For Gravesend And Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn

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$30 Million Investment In New Water Mains For Gravesend And Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn

Nearly 7 miles of new water mains will improve water distribution in the area; continued investments in the distribution system drove water main breaks to an all-time low in FY 2020

DDC: Ian Michaels, 646-939-6514, Michaelia@ddc.nyc.gov

DEP: 718-595-6600

(Brooklyn, NY – September 16, 2020) The New York City Departments of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Design and Construction (DDC) today announced that work is underway to upgrade the water delivery infrastructure in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Gravesend and Sheepshead Bay. The $30 million project will include the replacement of almost seven miles of century-old water mains to improve water distribution in the area, as well as the replacement of 108 fire hydrants and installation of 17 new fire hydrants. DEP is providing the funding for the project while DDC is managing the construction, which is anticipated to be completed in Fall 2021.

“As we continue the essential work of upgrading our critical infrastructure, this $30 million investment will help to ensure a reliable supply of water for the neighborhoods of Gravesend and Sheepshead Bay for decades to come,” said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza. “I want to thank our partners at DDC for managing this important project and being responsive to the community.”

“The new concrete-lined ductile iron pipes that will provide water to the Gravesend and Sheepshead Bay neighborhoods are significantly more reliable than the old cast irons pipes installed decades ago,” said DDC Commissioner Lorraine Grillo. “We are delighted to work with DEP to build resilient infrastructure for Brooklyn residents.”

“Too often it’s not until something breaks that we upgrade our aging infrastructure. I want to thank DEP for taking this chance to make proactive investments in giving my constituents the safe, reliable water supply they need,” said U.S. Congressman Max Rose.

“This infrastructure project represents a stake in our community's future,” said Assembly Member Steven Cymbrowitz. “The replacement of these antiquated water mains will ensure the sustainability and reliability of our water delivery, and new fire hydrants will offer us better protection in the event of an emergency. This is an important project for everyone in our community now and for generations to come.”

“The City’s upgrade of the water main infrastructure enhancements in the district is a relief to many constituents,” said State Senator Roxanne Persaud. “I applaud the work of Commissioner Vincent Sapienza and the entire Department in helping guarantee a clean and reliable water supply for my constituents for generations to come.”

As part of the project more than 36,000 linear feet of water mains, totaling almost seven miles, will be installed along Avenue S, between Coney Island and Ocean Avenues, as well as portions of East 12th St., Homecrest Avenue, East 13th St., East 14th St., East 15th St., East 16th St., East 17th St., East 18th St., East 19th St., Avenue T, Avenue U, Avenue V and Gravesend Neck Rd. The new pipes will be made of concrete-lined ductile iron, which is more resilient and less prone to breakage than the cast iron pipes they are replacing. This will improve water distribution in the area while the new fire hydrants will help ensure firefighters have ready access to the City’s water supply during emergencies.

DDC’s Office of Community Outreach and Notification will work with community boards, BIDs, local businesses and other community stakeholders impacted by construction. To manage the needs of residents and businesses during construction, DDC has a full-time Community Construction Liaison (CCL) assigned to the project. CCL Ian Thornell keeps the neighborhood apprised of construction progress, coordinates street closures and utility shutoffs and can arrange special requests such as deliveries to local homes and businesses. Mr. Thornell works on-site and is directly accessible to the public at (917) 417-6463 or by email at Avenue.S.CCL@gmail.com.

A map of the project area and photos of the work are available here.

About the NYC Department of Environmental Protection
DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water each day to more than 9 million residents, including 8.3 million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP has a robust capital program, with a planned $20.1 billion in investments over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor de Blasio’s long-term vision of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, and new or upgraded roads, sewers and water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $14 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to City projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.