NYC drinking water could taste different during aqueduct repairs

NEW YORK CITY — The city's drinking water could taste different starting this week as officials work to fix leaks at an upstate aqueduct.

An 85-mile section of the Delaware Aqueduct will be shut down for months as part of a $2 billion project to repair leaks near the Hudson River in Newburgh, Department of Environmental Protection officials said.

During repairs, the city will rely on the Croton watershed for water supply. While workers repair the leak, water is being diverted through a 2.5-mile bypass tunnel.

The aqueduct has been leaking up to 35 million gallons of water daily, officials said.

Mayor Eric Adams said during a news conference Monday that the drinking water is safe to drink.

“New Yorkers should know that your water will taste a little different. Some of you won't accept it, but you will. But it’s still drinkable,” he added.

Adams even took a sip of water and said he couldn't tell the difference in taste.

“You won’t be able to detect it. Some New Yorkers will notice, but it is still perfectly safe and good water,” he said during the press conference.

Rohit Aggarwala, Commissioner, Ministry of Environment Protection, said, “It took us 20 years to plan this project because the scale of this project is so huge. But I want to assure New Yorkers that we are ready for this and have planned for it. “For any scenario, we have sufficient water reserves to last the duration of the project. We are implementing this project over the winter because as a city we use less water in the winter.