The city is investing $390 million in critical infrastructure projects in Bushwick to upgrade the sewer system and reduce chronic flooding.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Chief Climate Officer and New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala and New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Wednesday said the muti-million dollar investment will replace nearly three miles of sewers and upgrade all catch basins in the surrounding area to a modern model, according to a press release.
The sewer system upgrades could increase capacity in select areas by more than 850% and reduce the risk of flooding across approximately 2,300 acres in Bushwick.
Additionally, the project will replace almost a mile of water mains to improve the neighborhood’s water distribution infrastructure. Privately-owned water service lines — which connect private properties to water mains — that are found to contain lead will be replaced during construction at no cost to property owners, the officials said.
“With climate change on the rise, it’s more important than ever to protect our streets, homes, and businesses from extreme flooding," Adams said.
With a sewer system dating back to the early 1900s, parts of Bushwick have struggled with chronic flooding for decades. A large portion of Knickerbocker Avenue is lower than the surrounding areas, causing stormwater to run downhill and flood the corridor.
A recent analysis indicated that the existing 7.5-foot-diameter sewer system was inadequate for even moderate rainstorms. The project will replace three miles of pipes along Knickerbocker Avenue — as well as on Wilson, Central, and Evergreen Avenues — with single-, double-, and triple-barrel box sewers, each measuring 10-feet by 9-feet. These investments will boost the system’s capacity from approximately 226 million gallons per day to around 1.9 billion gallons per day, an 857% increase in select areas.
The city has already installed FloodNet sensors on Knickerbocker Avenue at the intersections of Hart and Palmetto Streets so it recieves real-time flooding information. In addition, slotted manhole covers on sidewalks, which help water flow into the sewer even if debris is covering the catch basin grate in the roadway, were added to sidewalks at several locations with a history of flooding complaints, such as Jefferson Avenue and Central Avenue.
The DOT will also announce a Vision Zero redesign of Knickerbocker Avenue in the coming months.
