New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced a significant $390 million investment aimed at improving water infrastructure in Bushwick, Brooklyn, to address long-standing flooding issues.
The initiative, part of the “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” plan, will replace three miles of outdated sewers and upgrade catch basins, boosting local sewer capacity by over 850%. This will help reduce flooding risks across 2,300 acres. Additionally, nearly a mile of water mains will be upgraded to enhance water distribution in the area.
“With climate change intensifying, it’s critical that we protect our streets, homes, and businesses from extreme flooding,” Mayor Adams said. “This nearly $400 million investment, as part of our ‘City of Yes’ proposal, will bring much-needed relief to neighborhoods like Knickerbocker Avenue, saving New Yorkers money and preparing our city for future challenges.”
Bushwick has struggled with frequent flooding for decades, largely due to outdated infrastructure, with some sewer systems dating back to the early 1900s. As part of the project, privately-owned lead service lines discovered during construction will be replaced at no cost to property owners, ensuring safer drinking water for residents.
Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi emphasized the project’s importance, noting, “Bushwick has needed new sewer infrastructure since the 1960s, and the urgency has only increased as extreme weather events become more common in New York.”
The current sewer system in parts of Bushwick, which has a 7.5-foot diameter, is insufficient to handle even moderate rainstorms. The new system will feature modern pipes, including single-, double-, and triple-barrel box sewers measuring 10 feet by 9 feet. These upgrades will increase the system’s drainage capacity from around 226 million gallons per day to nearly 1.9 billion gallons per day, dramatically reducing street flooding. Construction is expected to begin in 2029.
The project will also replace aging cast iron water mains with high-capacity pipes, improving water pressure, reliability, and fire protection. This will help prevent water main breaks and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of clean drinking water to thousands of residents and businesses in the area.
Since the start of Mayor Adams’ administration, New York City has invested more than $1.2 billion in stormwater mitigation projects. These efforts include green infrastructure solutions, such as FloodNet sensors that monitor real-time flood conditions. The upgrades in Bushwick build upon these investments, strengthening the neighborhood’s resilience against future extreme weather events.