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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 13-21

February 26, 2013

CONTACT:

Christopher Gilbride / Mercedes Padilla (718) 595-6600

Department of Environmental Protection Completes $41 Million in Improvements at Hillview Reservoir

New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Carter Strickland today announced the completion of a $41 million upgrade at Hillview Reservoir that will ensure that it continues to perform the critical function of regulating pressure in the city’s water distribution system for decades to come. The Reservoir is located just outside of the Bronx in Yonkers, N.Y., was originally constructed between 1909 and 1915, and is the last stop for the water before it enters City Water Tunnels No. 1, 2, and 3. The 90 acre Reservoir receives nearly a billion gallons of water each day through the Catskill and Delaware Aqueducts and serves as a holding tank that allows DEP to meet daily peak city water demand. Sitting at just over 300 feet above sea level, it also ensures that the system has enough pressure to send water the nearly 31 miles to consumers in Staten Island. The $41 million in improvements was done in phases and included the rehabilitation and modernization of the four chamber buildings, where water enters and exits the Reservoir, installation of enhanced security systems, and roadway and landscaping alterations. Additional rehabilitation work at the Reservoir is in the planning and design phases and will begin in the coming years.

“Collecting, protecting, treating, and delivering more than one billion gallons of water each day to more than eight million New Yorkers requires long term planning and a robust financial commitment,” said Commissioner Strickland. “Under Mayor Bloomberg’s leadership we have invested more than $10 billion in our water supply infrastructure and the upgrades at Hillview Reservoir will help ensure that we can continue to meet the daily water needs of New York City for decades to come.”

A 2,750 foot long wall runs the length of the Reservoir and divides it into East and West basins. This wall was raised by ten feet and buttressed with concrete supports to allow for each basin of the reservoir to be drained and cleaned while the other basin remained in service. Two uptake chambers on the north end of the Reservoir receive water from the Delaware and Catskill Aqueducts and two downtake chambers on the south side release water into the three City Water Tunnels. The four chamber buildings received new stainless steel roofing systems and were brought into compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements. To keep the water in the Reservoir clean, a bird deterrent system was added and an enhanced security system will help ensure that the water supply remains safe.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing more than one billion gallons of water each day to more than nine million residents, including eight 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 employs nearly 6,000 employees, including nearly 1,000 in the upstate watershed. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nycwater, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nycwater.

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