New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced a $390 million investment to revamp water infrastructure in Bushwick (Brooklyn) to alleviate chronic flooding. Part of the "City of Yes for Housing Opportunity" plan, the project will replace three miles of sewers and upgrade catch basins in the surrounding area, increasing local sewer capacity by over 850 percent, reducing flood risk across 2,300 acres. Additionally, nearly a mile of water mains will be upgraded to improve water distribution.
“With climate change on the rise, it’s more important than ever to protect our streets, homes, and businesses from extreme flooding,” said Mayor Adams. “This nearly $400-million investment as part of our ‘City of Yes’ proposal will help do exactly that — bringing long-overdue relief to Knickerbocker Avenue, saving New Yorkers thousands of dollars, and fortifying our city for the decades ahead.”
Bushwick has faced chronic flooding for decades due to aging infrastructure, with some sewer systems dating back to the early 1900s. Moreover, privately-owned lead service lines found during construction will be replaced at no cost to property owners, ensuring safer drinking water.
Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi emphasized the project’s significance, stating, “Bushwick has needed new sewer infrastructure since the 1960s — but the need has become more pronounced as more extreme weather has become our new normal in New York.”
The existing 7.5-foot-diameter sewer system in parts of Bushwick is currently inadequate for handling moderate rainstorms. The planned upgrades will introduce larger, modern pipes, including single-, double-, and triple-barrel box sewers measuring 10 feet by 9 feet. These improvements will increase the system’s drainage capacity from approximately 226 million gallons per day to nearly 1.9 billion gallons per day, significantly reducing street flooding. Construction is expected to begin in 2029.
The project will also replace aging cast iron water mains with new, high-capacity pipes to enhance water pressure and reliability. This will minimize the likelihood of disruptive water main breaks, provide better fire protection, and ensure the continued delivery of clean drinking water to thousands of residents and businesses.
Since the start of the Adams administration, the city has invested over $1.2 billion in stormwater mitigation efforts, implementing green infrastructure solutions in addition to traditional sewer upgrades, including FloodNet sensors that monitor real-time flood conditions. The upcoming work in Bushwick builds on these previous investments to further strengthen the neighbourhood’s resilience against extreme weather.
