Only $2B Over Budget, Years Behind Schedule
Construction Comes to End at Filer Plant
By David Greene
BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 12- The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEP) quietly sent out a press release in May that stated that construction was nearly completed and the Croton Water Filtration Plant was now online-- but have refused to respond to repeated requests for additional information.
A source at Councilman Andrew Cohen's office reported, "There is still some work going on, but a large majority of that work is over and the plant has been activated and the walls are being taken down... we were just made aware that they activated the facility."
Calling it the largest such plant in America, the press release stated that the plant will filter as much as 290 million gallons of drinking water each day.
With the completion of the $3.2 billion project, water from the Croton water supply system was reconnected to the city's distribution network for the first time since 2008. The new plant is expected to provide 30 percent of the city's current daily water consumption.
Work on the 400,000 square-foot plant began in 2004 and at the height of the project, 1,300 laborers were employed at the site
In the press release, DEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd stated, "The filtration plant will help ensure the city has a safe and reliable supply of drinking water in the event of future drought."
Lloyd added, "All New Yorker's should raise a glass of New York City tap water today and recognize the thousands of workers who have contributed to the completion of this critical facility."
#FiltrationPlant #Reservoir #DEP #Bronxnews
br>
