We will evaluate 39 projects to meet the shortfall needs of the city if a prolonged shutdown of the Delaware Aqueduct is required
The additional supply described above will bring us only part of the way toward covering the shortfall if the Delaware Aqueduct is shut down.

That is why since 2004, DEP has identified a broad range of possible solutions that could fill the gap. By summer 2007, we will finalize a short list of projects for piloting and design, based on the capital, maintenance, and operations costs, the schedule, and the City's authority to implement without State legislation.

Below is a sampling of proposals under consideration:

Groundwater
Coursing underneath New York are three giant aquifers of water that were trapped hundreds of thousands of years ago within the earth's crust. Some of this water can be extracted and used as an additional clean supply source.

DEP could rehabilitate 26 existing wells throughout Brooklyn and Queens and construct an additional 12 wells to tap into the Magothy Aquifer, which runs under Queens. To meet water quality standards, DEP would construct six centralized treatment facilities using the finest available treatment technology.

Reusing water
Today, millions of gallons of water in the city are wasted every day. By targeting these sources with the appropriate cleaning processes, we could generate a new reliable source of so-called "grey water" for New York. Those strategies include recovering treated water from the Red Hook Wastewater Treatment Plant for steam, toilets or air conditioning.

Our subway tunnels provide another opportunity. Because tunnels are dug so deeply under the ground, there is constant seepage from the surrounding groundwater. Every day, pumping stations throughout the system push out approximately 25 million gallons of water and dump it into the rivers. The City will seek to partner with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to capture and collect these streams, clean this water, and pump it into our distribution system.

New infrastructure
A new aqueduct connecting the Rondout Reservoir with the West Branch Reservoir across the Hudson River would completely meet the city's water demand if the Delaware Aqueduct was required to be shut for repair. This new 45-mile section would run parallel to the Delaware Aqueduct and into the Croton Watershed, providing a second means of carrying water from the Delaware System into the city.

We could also expand the capacity of the Catskill Aqueduct to 660 mgd, a 10% increase, by pressurizing sections of the tunnel to improve water velocity.

Regional interconnections
Another strategy to secure the city's water supply could be new interconnections across the region. By running pipes between New Jersey, Connecticut or Long Island and the city, each state would gain critical backup systems in case of an emergency.

Progress (as of 4/22/08):
DEP started facility planning for three projects expected to be most effective, including the use of in-city groundwater (up to 55 mgd), optimization of the Catskill Aqueduct (up to 60 mgd) and the construction of a parallel tunnel (min of 400 mgd). In Jamaica, Queens, current efforts are underway to identify and analyze potential locations for production wells and treatment facilities. DEP will conduct water quality sampling in the Spring of 2008 to help access the treatment requirements. DEP initiated community involvement and will continue to correspond with them as the project progresses. DEP anticipates the design process to continue through 2012. For the Catskill project, DEP will continue to survey the aqueduct through early Summer 2008 to calibrate the hydraulic model and begin identification of any obstructions in the tunnel such as air pockets and expects the preliminary design phase to continue through 2010. The RFP for the parallel aqueduct design will be released in April of 2008.