On January 29, “No Water, No Life” visited the Newtown Creek Water Treatment Plant. After we were dismissed from school, Kiyomi, Kai, and I met Hilary Meltzer in front of our school. I was happy to learn that she would be coming with us to tour the Plant. We all walked to the West 4th Street station, and we took the subway to the plant. Coincidentally, we spotted Kai’s dad on the other side of the subway car we were on. He had come to attend the tour with us, but had planned to meet us at the Plant. Instead, we joined up on the train.

Robin Sanchez, who was our tour guide, met us just outside the plant. She is Deputy Director of Education at the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. She was very kind and friendly. She led us inside a large, gray building. I noticed dioramas, swirling sculptures on the floor that you could walk around in, and brightly colored, informative posters on the room’s dark green walls. However, we didn’t linger in this room for long. We followed Ms. Sanchez up a stairway enclosed by glass, which led to a floor that had a map of NYC’s Water Supply System. I learned that most of our water comes from reservoirs in Delaware and the Catskills, including the Cannonsville Reservoir, Neversink Reservoir, Rondout Reservoir, and Ashokan Reservoir. This watershed includes 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes. I later learned that this watershed, which is located as far as 125 miles upstate from New York City, can store as much as 580 billion gallons of water. A door on this floor brought us to a brightly lit room with rows of dark blue chairs facing a podium and projector. The side of the room opposite the projector was mostly made up of a blurry window, from which I could just make out huge, dark green machines and giant pipes that let off a soft but constant hum. A large sign stated “NYC Environment Protection” in bold green and blue letters. Kiyomi, Kai, Hilary Meltzer, Mr. Tsurumaki (Kai’s dad), and I all sat down in the blue chairs, and Ms. Sanchez projected a powerpoint. I took pictures and notes with my iPad. I learned a lot from her presentation. She answered many of the questions that I  had.

I was surprised to hear that the Department of Environmental Protection gives 1 billion gallons of water each day. This water goes to millions of people. I learned about the New York City Water Tunnels. There are currently two tunnels, but when the third is completed, it will be large enough (10 to 24 feet in diameter), that the first two can close down, which has never happened since they were built. These water mains are located in the Lower Bedrock Layer, 300 to 500 feet below ground.

I also learned about CSOs (Combined Sewer Overflows), which are the result of large amounts of rainwater entering the sewers. New York City has a lot of non-porous surfaces that rainwater runs down without being absorbed. This rainwater picks up filth from the surfaces it touches, then rushes into the sewer system, which leads it to a water treatment plant. There are 14 plants across all 5 boroughs. The treatment plants can’t handle all of this water at once, so an overflow of stormwater and untreated wastewater goes directly into NYC’s waterways.

I also learned about the history of water management in NYC. This is something I think will be important to include in our upcoming Social Justice Teach-In. Before the 1890’s, sewage was not treated. Sewers were only made to reduce disease. The population grew, and more people used beaches and went fishing. They saw that the water was getting filthy, and no longer wanted to swim in it. The first few treatment plants only conducted seasonal disinfection and chemical coagulation (thickening). In 1972, the Clean Water Act was passed. Congress set a goal to remove pollutants from all U.S. water that could be used for navigation, the Environmental Protection Agency set standards for how much sewage had to be treated, and the Water Treatment Plants had to upgrade to new technology. The Federal and state governments funded this.

Another interesting thing that my group should include in our Teach-In is the steps that Water Treatment Plants take to clean the water. The first step that the Newtown Creek Water Treatment Plant takes is called “Preliminary Treatment” and its purpose is to mechanically remove the large items of trash from the water by filtering the water through screens. The second step, “Primary Treatment,” lets the heavier sludge and grit sink to the bottom and skims off the floatables like plastic. Step three, “Secondary Biological Treatment,” imitates the way that nature cleans water. Aerobic bacteria (the “good” bacteria) consume organic waste. Air is pumped in to allow life and growth to this good bacteria, which eats the dangerous, harmful bacteria. “Final Settling,” the fourth step, removes sludge. This sludge goes to a plant other than the Newtown Creek Water Treatment Plant, so it can be thickened and solidified into fertilizer. Finally, the last step is “Disinfection,” where sodium hypochlorite is added to the wastewater to disinfect it. I learned that the large, gray, egg-shaped structures digest and clean sludge, taking its methane gas to be put into use by heating places with it. The “eggs” are huge, and can hold up to 3 million gallons. It takes days for them to digest sludge. It produces clean sludge that is only 6% solid, which is sent to another treatment plant, where it is turned into a drier, more solid fertilizer.

One especially interesting thing I was introduced to during the presentation, and that I would like to look into more, was the “Green Infrastructure Project.” It involves creating things that slow down or absorb stormwater. The stormwater is detained for a time, then slowly releases into the sewers. The purpose of this is to stop the overflows caused after rainstorms, because detaining the water in this way lessens the sudden, intense rush of water that happens during a rainstorm. Some plans include creating lowered portions of the sidewalk that are filled with dirt that act as gardens. They are designed so that rainwater enters the dirt and waters the vegetation growing there, and any excess will enter the sewers slowly. Another plan is to create a surface that is porous, that holds water for a time, then slowly releases it. Some of these surfaces have been created already, and they are called “blue roofs,” “porous concrete,” and ‘permeable pavers.” I was surprised to hear about this project because I have never seen the Green Infrastructure Technologies. I would like to research the Green Infrastructure Project to find out more about their plans.

After Ms. Sanchez had finished her presentation, she took us on a tour of the control room. The room was very brightly lit, and there were rows upon rows of handles that would turn on and shut off different parts of the plant. There was a large portion of the wall that was covered in complicated looking controls and red lights, that reminded me of something you might see in a spaceship’s control room. Then, Ms. Sanchez led us outside so that we could see the Water Treatment Plant from the outside. We got a great view of the giant “eggs,” and of the huge tubes that held air under high pressure, which are used for step three (Secondary Biological Treatment) of the water treatment procedure. After that, we said goodbye to Ms. Sanchez. Kiyomi, Kai, Kai’s dad, Hilary Meltzer, and I took the train back to LREI together. In front of the school, everyone said goodbye to each other and dispersed.

I want to thank Robin Sanchez for her generosity with her time, and for the helpful and valuable knowledge that she shared with us. I learned a lot, and really enjoyed seeing and learning about the Newtown Creek Water Treatment Plant.

Daniela Pierro