To Reduce Flooding Along College Point Boulevard, Underground Storage System is Built to Capture More Than 1 Million Gallons of Water Annually

April 22, 2024

Water Storage Built Under T-Mina Supply Parking Lot will Capture 1.26 Million Gallons of Stormwater Annually; Photos Available Here; Funding Available for Similar Projects on Private Property Citywide

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today joined with the global design and consultancy firm Arcadis to announce the completion of a new underground storage system that will capture 1.26 million gallons of stormwater annually along College Point Boulevard and help to reduce flooding in the area. By easing pressure on the area's sewers the new storage system also helps to improve the health of nearby Flushing Creek. DEP and Arcadis are working to identify and provide funding for projects that improve stormwater management on large private properties across the city in order to complement the work already taking place on public property.

"By capturing the stormwater that falls on this large parking lot and preventing it from draining onto College Point Boulevard this new storage system helps to reduce roadway flooding while also cleaning up Flushing Creek," said DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. "If you own a large property in New York City we are offering guidance and funding to upgrade your drainage systems in order to make the five boroughs more resilient to our changing climate."

"We're honored to partner with innovative, front-line agencies like the New York City Department of Environmental Protection to provide proven stormwater management solutions and leading technical expertise that not only address and mitigate the impacts of climate change-driven weather events, but also deliver sustainable outcomes for the city's residents and businesses," said Arcadis Vice President and New York City Executive Jee Mee Kim-Diaz.

DEP contributed $931,000 to the project that included engineering work to identify the lowest area of the T. Mina Supply parking lot and then the removal of the existing asphalt, rock and soil, and installation of subsurface drainage infrastructure. After placing soil on top of the drainage infrastructure, porous pavement slabs were installed to allow water to drain into the underground storage system.

"The new below ground water storage system has significantly reduced any flooding that occurs on our property," said President of T-Mina Supply Thomas Mina. "I thank the City of New York and Arcadis for the consideration, expertise, & funding that led to these improvements for us and the College Point Boulevard area."

The partnership between DEP and Arcadis is anticipated to reach most large properties in the city, 50,000 square feet or more, with a particular focus on properties in combined sewer areas that drain to waterbodies impacted by sewer overflows. The types of green infrastructure that could be built through this program include subsurface storage systems, porous pavements, rain gardens, or other site-level practices that can cost-effectively manage stormwater runoff from large impervious surfaces such as parking lots.

DEP's nation-leading green infrastructure program has constructed more than 13,000 green infrastructure installations including curbside rain gardens, green roofs, subsurface detention, permeable pavers and green medians. All of these green installations intercept stormwater before it can drain into the sewer system, thereby creating additional capacity in the sewers, which helps to reduce flooding and any overflows into local waterways. Over the last 10 years DEP has invested $5.7 billion to upgrade all drainage systems, including sewers, across the city and is planning to invest more than $10 billion for similar upgrades over the next decade.

DEP manages New York City's water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water each day to nearly 10 million residents, including 8.5 million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP also protects the health and safety of New Yorkers by enforcing the Air and Noise Codes and asbestos rules. DEP has a robust capital program, with a planned $29 billion in investments over the next 10 years. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Arcadis is the leading global design & consultancy organization for natural and built assets. We maximize impact for our clients and the communities they serve by providing effective solutions through sustainable outcomes, focus and scale, and digitalization. We are 36,000 people, active in more than 30 countries that generate €4.0 billion in gross revenues. We support UN-Habitat with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world.

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