Gardeners with the Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations have discovered that monarch butterflies, whose numbers have diminished since the mid-1990s, have taken to new rain gardens installed as part of the green infrastructure initiative. Employees of the Department of Environmental Protection are encouraged to submit ideas for naming the tunnel boring machine that will be used on the Delaware Aqueduct Bypass Tunnel. The National Association of Clean Water Agencies has awarded eight DEP wastewater treatment plants with Peak Performance awards.
A playground with green infrastructure elements has been completed by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in partnership with the Trust for Public Land, at PS15 in Manhattan's East Village. The granite spillway of the Merriman Dam was repointed by workers of the Bureau of Water Supply. The Watershed Agricultural Council and the DEP have created a $43 million endowment fund to safeguard agriculture and forestry easements. Bureau of Customer Service staff at the Bronx Borough Office were awarded a perfect score during a recent inspection by the Mayor's Office of Operations.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection and the Catskill Watershed Corporation have performed 5,000 septic system upgrades in the watersheds of the Catskill Mountains. Annually, three crews from the Bureau of Water Supply mow, trim, and clean the 55.5 mile cut-and-cover portion of the Catskill Aqueduct. The DEP has announced a long-term agreement with Delaware County to commit $24 million toward road repairs near Cannonsville and Pepacton Reservoirs. The DEP has provided $210,000 toward biofilter and recirculation components in the water garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Repair work by the Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations (BWSO) was recently completed at the site of the Sunset Park sewer collapse at the intersection of 64th Street and 5th Avenue in Brooklyn. The Dividing Weir at Ashokan Reservoir has been returned to operation following a $14.1 million project to replace the four cast iron gates and install bar racks. Family Fishing Day will be held on Sunday, September 18 at the Woodstock Dike on Ashokan Reservoir.
In cooperation with the Billion Oyster Project, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection introduced 50,000 oysters to Jamaica Bay. Using porcelain recycled from public school toilets, the new oyster beds will hopefully create a self-sustaining population that will improve water quality and protect wetlands. A $48 million project is underway to expand the Bluebelt system on the south shore of Staten Island. Work also started on a $56.5 million project to improve water supply and wastewater infrastructure in the Canarsie and East New York neighborhoods of Brooklyn.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection's commitment to wastewater management and monitoring systems has made a significant impact on the health and marine ecosystem of the city's waterways. Monitoring activities are centered at the Newtown Creek Microbiology Lab, operated by the Bureau of Wastewater Treatment. Staff from the Bureau of Water Supply worked to normalize the water conditions in the West Branch Croton River after higher than normal temperatures were detected. Work is progressing on the first phase of construction of the Mid-Island Bluebelt on Staten Island.
Outreach teams from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection have reached 50,000 homes in southeast Queens as part of the Cease the Grease program. Bureau of Water Supply workers performed an annual cleaning of driftwood from the crest of the Gilboa Dam. Representatives of the Bureau of Water Supply staffed a booth at this year's Delaware County Fair to offer residents information about watershed protection, recreation, and partnership programs.
The 2016 New York City Department of Environmental Protection summer internship program concluded with a showcase of intern experiences. Seven SUNY Ulster college students participated in data collection efforts with DEP stream scientists this summer through the Watershed Conservation Corps. A decommissioned DEP sludge boat, the M/V Newtown Creek, has been sunk in South Florida as part of Shipwreck Park, a diving attraction and artificial reef. A helicopter airlifted construction materials to two DEP facilities on Breakneck Ridge in the Hudson Valley, which are not easily accessible by road.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection has pledged $36 million toward the construction of green infrastructure as part of the wider Community Parks Intiiative (CPI) of OneNYC. 14 Icelandic sheep have been deployed near Neversink Dam as part of a pilot grass maintenance program. Family Fishing Day will take place August 14 at Pepacton Reservoir, co-sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
New York City tap water was awarded the top prize in this year's Regional Metro Tap Water Taste Test competition. The recently launched Clean Streets = Clean Beaches campaign aims to inform the public and help clean litter that will improve the health and aesthetics of area beaches. The Croton Water Filtration Plant was awarded the Distinction Award during the 2016 Global Water Awards. The Department of Environmental Protection, along with the Department of Transportation and Department of Design and Construction, began installation of a $41.5 million sewer and water main upgrade project in Ozone Park, Queens.
The Department of Environmental Protection is performing a $50 million project to replace inefficient bathroom fixtures in New York City public schools. Porcelain from the old fixtures is being recycled in the rain gardens currently being constructed under the Green Infrastructure program. DEP employees joined members of community groups for a canoe ride in Newtown Creek, which is under planned environmental remediation. A new boat launch site on Pepacton Reservoir is attracting paddlers from Downsville, Roscoe and others.
The Always Creating Excellence (ACE) program recognizes New York City Department of Environmental Protection staff members that have exhibited outstanding effort, and have gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve the people of New York City.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection's 2016 Hydrant Education Action Team (HEAT) Program employs teams of teens to inform New Yorkers about the dangers of illegally opening fire hydrants. The Catskill Mountain Club and the DEP are hosting a community hike to celebrate the opening of a new public trail on Bramley Mountain in Delaware County. The DEP and the Department of Design and Construction have begun a $46 million water delivery and sewer infrastructure upgrade along Southern Boulevard in the borough of the Bronx. A new partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) seeks to expand the City's Green Infrastructure Program.
31 recent graduates of a mandatory five-week orientation program have been inducted as sewage treatment workers at the Department of Environmental Protection. Three coworkers from the Bureau of Water Supply summitted Mount Adams and attempted an ascent of Mount Rainier in Washington. Geological borings are being conducted at Schoharie Reservoir to prepare for the release works being constructed there.
Vincent Sapienza has been appointed Acting Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection following Commissioner Emily Lloyd's retirement. Over 40 educators participated in a watershed tour to learn about the community forestry, agricultural, and stream programs connected to the water supply system. A $22 million sewer upgrade project will break ground in Middle Village, Queens, this month. 842 stormwater-intercepting rain gardens have been constructed in Ocean Hill and Brownsville, Brooklyn.
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is partnering with The Trust for Public Land to construct green playgrounds at New York City public schools, which benefit the health of students as well as surrounding waterways. Three veteran DEP Police officers were promoted during a ceremony at the Eastview Precinct in Valhalla, New York. The DEP has released an interactive mapping tool showing recreational opportunities in its upstate watersheds.
Construction has begun on upgrades to water and sewer infrastructure in Glen Oaks, Queens, that will mitigate chronic flooding conditions. The 2016 Water-On-The-Go Program has launched with portable drinking fountains around the city to promote the quality of its supply and encourage residents to forgo bottled water and sugary drinks. A project is underway to replace the Sugarloaf Bridge and Lows Corners Bridge at the headwaters of the Rondout Reservoir.
The Department of Environmental Protection assisted in banding ten peregrine falcon chicks nesting on Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bridges. The DEP's summer internship program is underway, and provides future professionals with experiences across the agency's bureaus and activities. Two teams from the Bureau of Wastewater Treatment (BWT) competed successfully at the Operations Challenge 2016 in Mystic, Connecticut, and will go on to a national competition in New Orleans.
Several thousand curbside gardens are being installed across the city as part of the Department of Environmental Protection's Green Infrastructure Plan, in cooperation with the Department of Design and Construction, the Economic Development Corporation and the Parks Department. Odor control upgrades have been completed on the Bowery Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant. Two Family Fishing Day evnts will be held at the Ashokan and Cannonsville Reservoirs, on June 12 and June 18th respectively.
Students at Highland Middle School in Ulster County received a demonstration by the DEP Police Aviation Unit, including a helicopter landing and question-and-answer session. Pam Elardo, P.E., has been appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Wastewater Treatment (BWT). Several BWT employees competed in the New Jersey Water Environmental Association (NJWEA) Spring Fling Operations Challenge 2016. The Department of Environmental Protection is hosting blood drives at several locations to help offset supply shortages at the New York Blood Center.