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Officials brief Town of Southeast on October Delaware Aqueduct shutdown; local pump upgrades and contingencies outlined
Summary
New York City DEP engineers told the Town of Southeast that a planned October 2024 shutdown of the Rondout/West Branch section of the Delaware Aqueduct will last about eight months; town officials were briefed on pump‑station verification, a proposed well pump backup and needed lead‑pipe and valve repairs at the Middle Branch (Brewster Heights) intake.
Representatives of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and consulting engineers on June 13 briefed the Town of Southeast board about the planned shutdown and bypass‑tie of the Delaware Aqueduct and the town’s local contingency plans.
Mark and Bill (New York City DEP) and Robert Flores (Delaware‑area engineering team) said the operation to connect a newly constructed parallel bypass tunnel and take the leaking Rondout/West Branch segment out of service is scheduled to begin in October 2024 and could last about eight months. The work is being done to stop known leaks in the Delaware Aqueduct and is financed through New York City water revenues and the city’s water finance authority.
The presenters said the shutdown will require modified system operations and increased reliance on parts of the Croton and Catskill systems. The Brewster Heights water district and the Middle Branch Reservoir will likely see greater drawdown during operations. Engineers reported that their calculations and verification testing indicate the existing Drewville Road pump station pumps should be able to serve expected demands under average hydrology conditions, which the presenters described as encouraging.
Still, engineers urged the town to install contingency measures: a horizontal well‑style backup pump with protective HTP casing to be teed into the suction line upstream of the pumps (about 150 feet into the reservoir) and targeted repairs to aging suction piping (lead joints) and a nonworking suction valve. The well pump is sized to deliver roughly 200 gallons per minute at the selected head and can pump to the treatment plant if needed. Presenters also discussed other contingency options including temporary interconnection piping to the Village of Brewster and water trucking.
Presenters clarified funding roles: New York City pays for the aqueduct repair through its water revenues, but local connection and pump‑station costs are typically borne by the connecting municipality or water district under state law. The board reported it has reached out to state lawmakers and submitted a request to Senator Peter Harckham seeking assistance and grant options to help pay the town’s portion of the work.
Town contractor VRI (operations) also briefed the board on local plant readiness: Joe Mlin and Tyler reported active leak detection in Springhouse, replacement of microfiltration modules at Brewster Heights and Blackberry, remediation after a yellow‑water incident caused by an outside fire department hydrant draw, and installation of remote analyzers to improve monitoring.
Board members thanked the presenters and asked staff to post the public handouts and to continue coordinating with New York City DEP, Delaware engineers and VRI as the October shutdown approaches.
