QUEENS, NY (PIX11) – Sewer improvements and other flood protection infrastructure have been installed in flood-prone parts of Queens, Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday.
In Queens Village, a 3-acre concrete median has been converted into a wildflower-planted grassy area that can help divert stormwater when city sewers overflow. This median — which can divert up to 5 million gallons of stormwater — will capture the water that used to flow off the concrete into basements and streets, Adams said.
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“We are turning New York into a sponge: Small green spaces are pretty and soak up gallons of rainwater, ponds and basketball courts provide recreational opportunities and store enormous amounts of stormwater, and porous pavers soak up water instead of letting it pool and flood,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Service Meera Joshi.
In Maspeth and College Point, which are typically particularly prone to flooding, storm sewer capacity was doubled and tripled, respectively, through sewer improvements, city officials said. In Maspeth, a mile of new major sewers and nearly another mile of water mains were built, and College Point received about 8.5 miles of new sewers and additional water mains, city officials said.
About 300 flood sensors have already been installed in Corona and another 200 are to be added by next year, Adams said.
At NYCHA’s South Jamaica Houses, the city is installing new drainage systems, green spaces and other infrastructure that will ultimately help capture about 3.5 million gallons of stormwater. The project is expected to be completed in 2025, city officials said.
Monday marked the third anniversary of Hurricane Ida, which killed 13 New Yorkers.
“Our infrastructure was designed to work in a climate we no longer live in, but we are working hard to modernize it to protect New Yorkers from flooding,” said Rohit Aggarwala, New York City’s top climate official.
Emily Rahhal is a Los Angeles-based digital reporter who has been covering New York City since 2023. She joined PIX11 in 2024. Find more of her work here and follow her on Twitter Here.
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