Water towers are kind of gross

From City and State:

Despite years of reforms, new data reveal widespread neglect in the thousands of weathered wooden water tanks that supply drinking water to millions of New York City residents. A review of city records indicates that most building owners still do not inspect and clean their tanks as the law has required for years, even after revisions to the health and administrative codes that now mandate annual filings.

There are still many thousands of water tanks across the city for which there is no information at all. The city can’t even say with certainty how many there are or where they are located, much less their condition – even well-maintained water tanks accumulate layers of muck and bacterial slime.

Building owners who do self-report the condition of their water tanks provide suspiciously spotless descriptions on annual inspection reports. These reports include bacteriological test results, but in almost every case the tests are conducted only after the tanks have been disinfected, making it a meaningless metric for determining the typical quality of a building’s drinking water. And regulators have issued dramatically fewer violations in recent years.

The data show that the city reported drinking water tanks on municipal buildings, including the city sanitation offices and several court buildings, tested positive for E. coli, a marker used by public health experts to predict the presence of potentially dangerous viruses and bacteria. Oversight remains lax: It took health officials more than a year to investigate several isolated reports of E. coli in drinking water tanks. After inquiries from City & State, however, officials now say that their own reports were erroneous.

But scientists at the federal Environmental Protection Agency and public health experts consulted by City & State warned that animals can easily get into New York City’s water tanks, that mucky sediments inside the tanks may contain pathogens and that poorly maintained water tanks could be the source of disease outbreaks.

This water tastes a little funny...

From the NY Times:

With their quaint barrel-like contours and weathered cedar-plank sides, rooftop water towers are a constant on the New York City skyline. And though they may look like relics of a past age, millions of residents get their drinking water from the tanks every day.

But inside these rustic-looking vessels, there are often thick layers of muddy sediment. Many have not been cleaned or inspected in years. And regulations governing water tanks are rarely enforced, an examination by The New York Times shows.

Even some that are routinely maintained contain E. coli, a bacterium that is used by public health officials to predict the presence of viruses, bacteria and parasites that can cause disease.

When found in drinking water, E. coli, a microbe carried in the feces of mammals and birds, requires the issuance of a boil-water order, according to federal Environmental Protection Agency regulations.

Samplings taken by The New York Times from water towers at 12 buildings in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn found E. coli in five tanks, and coliform in those tanks and three more. Coliform by itself is not harmful, but does indicate that conditions are ripe for the growth of potentially dangerous microorganisms. The positive results all came from the bottoms of the tanks, below the pipe that feeds the buildings’ taps, though public health experts say the contamination is still a concern because the water circulates throughout the inside of the tanks.

Loss of a lollipop

Just wondering if you know any history about this water tower beyond Berrian Boulevard. It has been a landmark for me for 15 years.
On my long night jogs through the deserted streets of the industrial area near the Steinway Piano factory, I often stopped for a few seconds to admire the tower's ghostly, rusted beauty.
I took these photos on September 6, 2010. Little did I know it would be the last time I would see my favorite water tower!
On September 8, I went for a jog in the darkness of evening, and upon turning the usual corner I looked up expecting to see the tower, off in the distance lit by dim orange floodlights, signaling that my jog was three quarters over and I would soon be home. Instead there was a blank piece of cloudy sky. After nearly 15 years of seeing that lonely tower on the horizon, it has vanished. It must have been taken down by dynamite, because it was there one day and gone the next.
I will miss my rusty old metal friend. Was it part of Con Ed? Did it serve the Steinway area? Any history appreciated. Thanks for your time and thanks for your web site.

Sincerely,

David Michael Sanders

Here's a bird's eye shot from Windows Live Local:



I believe that was part of the sewage treatment plant. - QC

Baby ravens are all grown up

Courtesy of 10000 Birds:

The first ever documented nesting of Common Ravens in New York City ended successfully, with all three nestlings becoming fledglings. The happy change in status from nest-bound birds to flappy free fliers occurred over the last week, with the birds leaving the nest on May 31 and walking along the water tower support on which their nest was built and gradually branching out from there. Yesterday morning, June 7, was the first day that no ravens were detected at the nest site, despite my assiduous efforts.

Tanks, but no tanks

From the NYC DEP:

Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway today announced the demolition of two elevated water storage tanks in Queens. The tanks – located at 93-02 199 Street, in Hollis, and 84-02 164 Street, in Jamaica Estates – are no longer part of the water distribution network, and local elected officials and community organizations have requested their removal. Site mobilization for the demolition process started March 1. The 199 Street tank will be demolished next weekend and the tank at 164 Street will be demolished the second week of April. The cost for both demolitions is $545,000.

The two 250,000 gallon capacity tanks were built in 1930 by the Chicago Bridge and Iron Company on behalf of the former Jamaica Water Supply Company. The tanks were originally used to store water and maintain pressure in the distribution system. DEP assumed control of the tanks upon the purchase the Queens portion of the company in 1996. Since then, DEP has replaced and upgraded water mains in Southeast Queens to improve distribution and water quality. For example, a network of 20-inch mains was installed in the last 10 years in the surrounding community and large numbers of outdated fire hydrants were replaced with standard ones to enhance the fire fighting ability of the system. Several other projects are currently under construction, including over three miles of a 48-inch water main in Jamaica and Hollis. Due to investments like these over the years, the tanks have been obsolete for more than a decade.