In August of 1998, the City celebrated the inaugural opening of the first stage of the Third Water Tunnel, a massive and long awaited project that will dramatically improve the provision of water to the City. The next stage of the Third Water Tunnel will extend the tunnel southward into Manhattan and into Brooklyn. In connection with that extension, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has placed two shafts within our district to bring water from the tunnel to surface pipes. Shaft 32B is located at East 35th Street between 2^nd Avenue and the midtown tunnel approach adjacent to St. Varten Park. The second site, shaft 33B, is located under the Queens Borough Bridge at 59 off of 1^st Avenue.

After a great deal of community controversy over the proposed construction route of the underground water mains, and after several community meetings, DEP revised the construction route to conform to the wishes of the Board and the community. The confirmed route for the water main installation is 1) 1^st Avenue between E. 59^th and E. 61 Streets, 2) 3^rd Avenue between E. 59^th and E. 61^st Streets, 3) E. 59^th Street between 1^st and 3^rd Avenues, 4) E. 61^st Street between 1^st and 3^rd Avenues.