Aqueduct Neighborhoods Support Program

 

Dates to be announced soon.

 

Funding and other assistance are now available to help certain qualifying residents and businesses in select areas of the Town of Marbletown who are impacted by water leaking from the Rondout Pressure Tunnel section of the Catskill Aqueduct, a deep rock tunnel running about 500 feet below Lucas Turnpike and the Rondout Creek.

 

The New York City (NYC) owned Catskill Aqueduct goes underneath portions of the Town of Marbletown in the form of a deep-rock pressure tunnel to bring water from the Catskill Mountains to NYC. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has identified leaks in the pressure tunnel section of the aqueduct under the Town, and this leaking water has caused elevated groundwater in some areas of the Town.

 

DEP is providing funding over the next few years for the Aqueduct Neighborhoods Support Program. This program includes funding a variety of different project types for qualified properties that both the Town’s consulting engineer and DEP concur are specifically impacted by the leak in the pressure tunnel portion of the Aqueduct, and that the specific project would mitigate impacts from the leak. Potential projects include:

 

1. Projects to correct impacts to drinking water influenced by leaks from the Catskill Aqueduct, including but not limited to:

• a) the relocation or replacement of water wells;
• b) conducting drinking water well improvement projects, including pump and associated mechanical replacements, rehabilitation, and deepening;
• c) hiring a New York State licensed engineer or water treatment service to test and design a water system to treat points of entry to properties;
• d) hiring a professional maintenance service to periodically service qualifying water systems for continued operation;
• e) hiring an installation contractor to install the water system on an existing plumbing system;
• f) conducting tests and improvements on water systems, including point of entry water quality improvements; and/or
• g) supplying landowners and businesses with a temporary potable water supply. 

2. Projects to address damage to property including, but not limited to, damage to pavement, utilities, drainage systems, and settlement or shifts of structures caused by elevated groundwater shown to be connected to leaks from the Rondout Pressure Tunnel portion of the Catskill Aqueduct, including:

• a)  hiring an engineer or other qualified professional to perform design, inspection and testing services necessary to  evaluate and repair property damage; and
• b)  hiring a construction contractor to repair property damage.

The area identified to be potentially affected is generally bounded by Cottekill Road, Route 209, Rest Plaus Road, and Mohonk Road and includes more than 600 parcels from the hamlets of Stone Ridge, High Falls, Cottekill, and more. This area is shown in Figure 1. Town residents and businesses outside of this area can also apply for assistance if they believe they have issues potentially caused by the leaking pressure tunnel section of the aqueduct.