City cleans up Pugsley Creek
The $106 million project was completed 14 months ahead of schedule
BY JASON COHEN
A $106 million project to clean up
Pugsley Creek in the south Bronx was
completed 14 months ahead of schedule
and has reduced sewer overfl ows
to the Creek by 98 percent.
The New York City Departments of
Environmental Protection (DEP) and
Design and Construction (DDC) announced
the news Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Construction was focused on a
nearly mile-long parallel box sewer,
which was installed beneath White
Plains Road to direct more wastewater
towards the Hunts Point Wastewater
Resource Recovery Facility. The additional
drainage provided by the new
sewer has nearly eliminated combined
sewer overfl ows into Pugsley Creek.
The work also included the replacement
of nearly two miles of roughly
century-old cast iron water mains
with new, stronger ductile iron mains.
“This $106 million investment in
the south Bronx goes a long way towards
cleaning up Pugsley Creek and
continues its transformation into a
true community amenity,” said DEP
Commissioner Vincent Sapienza. “Upgrading
our infrastructure is not only
important for the health of our waterways,
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BRONX TIMES REPORTER,8 NOVVEMBER 6-12, 2020 BTR
DEP performs a $106 million cleanup of Pugsley Creek. Photos courtesy of DEP
it is also essential to improving
the quality of life for the residents of
the Bronx.”
The work included the installation
of more than 2,200 feet of new water
mains and the replacement of over
8,300 feet of existing mains with concrete
lined ductile iron pipes, which
are more resilient and less prone to
breakage. In an effort to improve storm
water drainage in the area, 3,500 feet of
new combined sewers were installed,
580 linear feet of old combined sewers
and 21 catch basins were replaced and
one was added.
Additionally, fi re protection was
enhanced with the replacement of 19
existing hydrants and the seven new
hydrants. Final restoration of the
area included the reconstruction of
nearly 45,000 square feet of sidewalk
and 4,300 feet of curbs and the resurfacing
of over 26,000 square yards
of roadway. The new curbs and sidewalks
were leveled to help guide storm
water to the area’s new catch basins
to ensure adequate drainage during
inclement weather.
The construction of the new sewer,
which will reduce combined sewer
overfl ows into Pugsley Creek by approximately
200 million gallons annually,
is part of an agreement between
New York City and New York State that
aims to improve the health and cleanliness
of New York City Harbor.
Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
praised the city for the project. In 2017
he allocated $90,000 to provide Pugsley
Creek and Soundview Park blue light
call boxes and fl ash cameras.
“Pugsley Creek is an underappreciated
natural gem in our borough that
was long neglected, but is now fl ourishing
as a habitat and recreation
area,” Diaz said. “I would like to thank
DEP and DDC for their efforts in cleaning
up and ensuring Pugsley Creek remains
clean and safe. Protecting the
environment as well as improving our
infrastructure have been key priorities
during my tenure as borough president
and projects such as the clean-up
of Pugsley Creek are critical in our efforts
to continue making the borough
a bucolic, livable place.”
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