NYC Will Finally Bring Sewer System to Flood-Prone Brooklyn Neighborhood

New York City officials announced a plan to bring city sewer infrastructure to a flood-prone neighborhood known as ‘The Hole’ on the border of Brooklyn and Queens.

As Lauren Dalban explains in Inside Climate News, “the 12-block area sits around 10 to 15 feet below the surrounding streets—essentially creating a water-trapping bowl.” Most residents use septic tanks to dispose of waste, which can overflow and lead to the contamination of surrounding land and water. Now, the city plans to connect the homes to a new sanitary sewer system.  

The neighborhood’s homes are also not connected to the city system for rainwater. “According to the plan, the city will construct storm sewers to direct and pump rainwater toward a 17-acre city-owned lot a block away from the Jewel Streets.” The plan includes the construction of ‘bluebelts’ that will help water drain before it flows out into Jamaica Bay. 

In the southern portion of the area, the city is considering raising the streets by up to 10 feet to connect streets that are now dead ends. For the five homes along these streets, the city says it will offer “a range of solutions” such as buyouts or retrofits. “Once the drainage issues are fixed, the city tentatively plans to encourage the construction of new small homes in the Jewel Streets that fit the neighborhood’s character. The city also hopes to rezone side streets near Linden Boulevard for higher-density housing and community facilities.”