The NYC Departments of Environmental Protection, Transportation and Design and Construction have completed two infrastructure projects totalling $128m in Whitestone, Queens that added nearly six miles of new storm sewers to improve stormwater drainage.
Work took place on more than 120 individual blocks and included the conversion of almost 13,000 feet of combined sewers into separate sanitary and stormwater sewer systems to prevent 29 million gallons of pollution from being discharged into Flushing Bay each year.
Additionally, Council Member Paladino secured funding that has allowed DEP to purchase high-resolution cameras and extendable poles that are used daily by crews in Northern Queens to inspect sewers.
“These were very complicated infrastructure projects where crews worked around several schools, numerous bus routes and utilities that all had to remain open and functional throughout the work,” said NYC Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Thomas Foley.
Previously, the area had only a combined sewer that drained wastewater from homes and businesses as well as stormwater from roadways.
In heavy rain, roads flooded and untreated wastewater spilled into Flushing Bay.
