Work paused on NYC’s massive tunnel repair as drought triggers contract overhaul
According to the Associated Press, the multibillion-dollar effort to repair a major leak in the Delaware Aqueduct—a key water supply line for New York City—has been delayed again and is now not expected to be completed until after 2027, city officials said May 5.
The $2 billion project involves fixing a persistent leak estimated to lose up to 35 million gallons of water daily beneath the Hudson River. To address the issue, the city had planned to shut down a section of the aqueduct to connect a newly built bypass tunnel under the river. The original timeline called for an eight-month shutdown, strategically scheduled during the fall when water demand typically drops.
However, that plan was interrupted in November when dry conditions prompted a drought warning. With the city's reservoirs already strained, the shutdown was postponed, and construction halted. As a result, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will need to issue a new construction contract to resume the work.
City officials remain cautious about ongoing low precipitation trends and are also pursuing pump system upgrades as part of the broader repair strategy.
“This new contract must account for every possible contingency,” DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press, emphasizing the city’s responsibility to deliver safe, reliable drinking water to nearly 10 million people.
The Delaware Aqueduct, stretching 85 miles from the Catskill Mountains to reservoirs north of the city, is the world’s longest continuous tunnel and supplies roughly half of New York City's daily water needs.
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