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Q&A
Council Member Gennaro discusses storm sewer infrastructure and groundwater issues with DEP representatives
1:21:50
·
7 min
Council Member James F. Gennaro engages in a detailed discussion with DEP representatives about storm sewer infrastructure, MS4 areas, and groundwater management in various parts of New York City, particularly focusing on Southeast Queens. The conversation covers the challenges of implementing green and gray infrastructure in areas with high water tables and no existing storm sewers.
- Gennaro inquires about the classification and infrastructure needs of areas without storm sewers, particularly in Southeast Queens.
- The discussion touches on the complexities of managing groundwater, including the historical use of Jamaica Water Service wells and current pumping practices.
- Gennaro expresses concern about the lack of a comprehensive plan for building out storm sewer infrastructure in underserved areas of the city.
James F. Gennaro
1:21:50
Thank you.
1:21:51
And with regard to areas in, you know, Southeast Queens and other areas of the city that that have no storm sewer infrastructure, I guess they would not be MS 4 areas.
1:22:08
Right?
1:22:08
Because they don't have storm sewers.
1:22:11
So, like, what are they called?
1:22:13
Like like so, I mean, to me, you know, in order to be an MS 4 area, you've got a dedicated sanitary sewer and you got the storm flow that goes out to a local waterway with sort of minimal treatment, let's say.
1:22:29
But if you don't have any storm sewer infrastructure, is that an MS 4 area or what is it?
1:22:45
Well, I'm just saying that they have a high water table, they have flooding problems, and they have no storm sewer infrastructure whatsoever.
1:22:53
I think they would benefit from that.
1:22:55
Right?
1:22:56
I mean
1:23:05
No.
1:23:05
But I'm just saying I'm I'm I'm I'm, you know, putting apart the you know, putting aside the green infrastructure.
1:23:11
I'm just talking about, you know, Southeast Queens, I think, is a great candidate for gray infrastructure because, you know, at least they'll have drains that will take the water away, you know, to have because right now Southeast Queens is with no storm sewer.
1:23:28
Those parts that don't have storm sewers, it it it it's already one big green infrastructure thing.
1:23:34
Right?
1:23:34
You don't you don't have anything to catch the stormwater and, you know, to try to process it and, you know, assimilate But the natural, you know, areas that than than than the than like the non paved areas.
1:23:51
Like, that that's all there is.
1:23:54
And so this is sort of a commercial for, like, gray infrastructure in those areas.
1:24:01
Yeah.
1:24:01
I I think the green infrastructure, not the ticket, but so those areas are not designated as MS 4.
1:24:09
They just
1:24:18
This is one of the I know that there's a lot of projects going on down there.
1:24:27
But what we don't have and may not have for a long time is you know, even one piece of paper at left rack that says this is, like, the build out date for, you know, Southeast Queens and other areas of the city that don't have any storm sewer infrastructure.
1:24:49
You know you know, this is the date certain by which we're gonna build out this infrastructure.
1:24:53
And and and as we contemplate things like going from 1.75 inches per hour to 2.1 or whatever the number's gonna be depending upon, you know, how the comprehensive stormwater management plan works out in terms of increased, you know, storm sewer capacity.
1:25:15
You know, we still have areas of the city.
1:25:18
So we got areas of the city that have 1.75 going up to some number bigger than that.
1:25:23
You still have the areas that are, like, at zero.
1:25:25
And so this is my point, you know, that I I think and one of the reasons why I wanted to do that that build that we just did because there are areas of the city that just don't have any stone sewer infrastructure combined with the high water table.
1:25:43
I mean, you know, they're really getting it both ways since the since we ramped down use of the of the, you know, former Jamaican Water Service wells from 100 MGD to whatever it is today.
1:25:58
Some low number.
1:26:00
Well, I but some water's pumped to waste.
1:26:02
Right?
1:26:02
Otherwise, storm sewers like wooden subway tunnels flood as the because as we shut down the wells and, you know, like the the the the water table, like, you know, resumed to pre Jamaica water service, you know, levels.
1:26:22
Oh, so so right now so when you say nothing's being pumped, it means, like, it's not being pumped for portable use.
1:26:32
So there's zero going into the distribution system.
1:26:35
But I think there's still some water being pumped to waste.
1:26:39
And I guess how much water is that and where does it go?
1:26:52
Right.
1:27:03
Right.
1:27:04
Right.
1:27:04
But I'm just saying the water that gets pumped to waste to the extent that that happens, like, where does it go?
1:27:17
Oh oh oh, okay.
1:27:18
So oh, it would go into it would go into a sewer which would and that's not a a combined sewer area.
1:27:28
So it would go to a local, you know, water body.
1:27:33
Okay.
1:27:39
Oh, yeah.
1:27:40
Then we've then we're talking capacity problems potentially.
1:27:46
You know?
1:27:47
Wow.
1:27:48
I I don't think I'm gonna work for DEP anytime soon.
1:27:52
Sounds like it seems very complicated, you know.
1:27:55
I don't know if I got it up here to figure all that stuff out.
1:28:00
Yeah.
1:28:01
And with that, that what's that?
1:28:05
Oh, okay.
1:28:10
Yeah.
1:28:12
I have to excuse myself again.
1:28:14
I'm gonna put one of my colleagues on.
1:28:18
Do you ever have do you ever have an MRI where you get the contrast?
1:28:22
You know?
1:28:23
And then they say this contrast is pretty funky stuff.
1:28:26
You know?
1:28:27
So they said, like, drink like there's no tomorrow for, like, the next, like, two days.
1:28:32
I'm like, what did you just, like, put in me?
1:28:34
You know?
1:28:34
I'm like, well, is on the record.
1:28:38
Yeah.
1:28:38
This is classic Gennaro colloquy that's going on the record that people can read a hundred years from now.
1:28:44
You know?
1:28:44
People say, like, what was contrast?
1:28:46
And so yeah.
1:28:48
So, that's the story, is if people needed to hear that or whatever.
1:28:54
But and I've had contrast before where they didn't give me the speech.
1:28:59
You know?
1:29:00
But yesterday, like, I got the speech, you know, saying like, you know, this is pretty funky stuff.
1:29:05
You should, like, get this out of your system as as soon as possible.
1:29:09
Now with everyone so enlightened now about the toxins coursing through my body right now, this is the perfect time to go from, you know, go from toxic to wonderful with my colleague, council member Aviles, who I now recognize for questions.
Beth DeFalco
1:22:36
No.
1:22:36
It's not.
1:22:37
And and especially in areas in Southeast Queens, like we said, the high water table is an issue, so that might not be the right fit depending
1:22:57
Not necessarily.
1:22:59
Depending on if what you're looking for is to reduce flooding, a green infrastructure on a high water table.
1:24:10
They're not, but they're also receiving probably more money than most parts of the city for gray infrastructure upgrades.
Angela Licata
1:26:44
I don't know what the quantity of that is, but it's from various parts of the aquifer, as you know, and we've had discussions
1:26:52
In the past before.
1:26:53
So I don't think that the pumping that's happening in the Upper Glacial is getting down to where the Jamaica supply was in the Magothy or even the Lloyd.
1:27:03
Yeah.
1:27:11
Into the sewer system.
1:27:12
And generally speaking, that requires a DEP permit.
1:27:34
Or the sanitary sewer where there's no storm sewer.