FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE00-50
October
2, 2000
Contact:
Geoff Ryan
(718/595-6600)
New
York City To Repair Valve At Shaft 6 In Chelsea
A gate valve at Shaft 6 of the Delaware Aqueduct will be repaired,
starting in late November, according to an announcement by Commissioner
Joel A. Miele Sr., P.E., of the New York City Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP). The shaft is located at the same site as the City's
Chelsea Pumping Station, near the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge on the east
side of the Hudson River. The job is scheduled to start on November
28, with repair crews on-site and working round the clock for up to
ten days.
The function of Shaft 6 is to serve as a de-watering apparatus for
the Delaware Aqueduct. Once the gate valve itself is repaired, DEP
plans to have an inspection team examine the Aqueduct's condition,
ascertain the extent and type of any other leaks, and make recommendations
for future maintenance and repair efforts. DEP is aware of two existing
leaks in the Aqueduct; both are west of the Hudson, one in Roseton
and the other in Wawarsing.
In commenting on the leaks, Commissioner Miele said, "The repair
of the gate valve at Shaft 6 is the first step in dealing with those
leaks. We have known about them for some time and have been developing
plans to correct the leaks, which may be due to underground geological
conditions that existed when the Aqueduct - a deep rock tunnel - was
built in the 1940s. While we are convinced the leaks do not represent
a threat to the safety and reliability of the Aqueduct at present,
we believe the time to take corrective action is now. Accordingly,
we are taking aggressive actions to locate and fix the leaks, including
use of a remotely controlled underwater vehicle to inspect and photograph
the interior of the tunnel. This vehicle is now being custom built
for DEP by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute."
While the gate valve is under repair, water will not flow through
the tunnel. The Town of Marlborough and the City of Newburgh, which
withdraw water from the Delaware Aqueduct, have been advised of the
temporary shutdown and will be able to utilize their other sources
of water without any interruption of service.