Just like so many others, this Valentine’s Day story includes passion, heartbreak, conquering long distance, and a second chance.
The Feb. 14 tour of the Newtown Creek Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility is sold out…so the organizers will offer an encore tour on Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 5:30 pm.
Due to COVID, it’s virtual. So from the safety of computers in fresh-smelling rooms, participants will explore the eight giant stainless steel digester eggs that process and clean millions of gallons of wastewater from storm drains, toilets, and sinks every day. The program includes a behind-the-scenes video tour, a conversation with NYC Department of Environmental Protection Director of Public Design Outreach Alicia West, and a Q&A session. (Among other things, participants will learn the facts behind showering during a rain storm and “flushable” wipes.)
Tickets cost $5, and registrants will receive a zoom link about 30 minutes before the event, which is organized via a partnership with NYC DEP and Open House New York.
Newtown Creek separates Queens from Brooklyn. The wastewater treatment plant, which is on the Brooklyn side in Greenpoint, opened in 1967 and underwent a comprehensive, $5 billion upgrade during the 1990s. Today it’s the largest of NYC’s 14 plants, serving approximately 1 million residents in a drainage area of more than 25 square miles.
Images: NYC DEP/OHNY