Hillview Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hillview Reservoir |
|
|---|---|
Southwestern portion
|
|
 Hillview Reservoir
Location in New York
Hillview Reservoir
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Westchester County, New York |
| Coordinates | 40°54′44″N 73°52′9″W / 40.91222°N 73.86917°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Surface area | 90-acre (0.36 km2) |
The Hillview Reservoir is a special storage area for water in southeastern Yonkers, New York. It covers about 90-acre (0.36 km2) of land. This reservoir was built between 1909 and 1915. Its main job is to hold water that comes from the Catskill Aqueduct. This aqueduct brings water all the way from the Ashokan Reservoir to the Kensico Reservoir, and then finally to Hillview.
What is the Hillview Reservoir?
The Hillview Reservoir is a very important part of New York City's water system. It acts like a giant bathtub that holds water before it goes into the city's pipes. It was designed to receive water from the long Catskill Aqueduct. This aqueduct is a huge channel that carries fresh water from upstate New York.
The engineer in charge of building Hillview Reservoir was Frank E. Winsor. He also oversaw the construction of the Kensico Reservoir and a large part of the Catskill Aqueduct. The reservoir itself does not have a river flowing into it. Instead, it is held up by strong walls on all sides.
How Does the Reservoir Work?
The Hillview Reservoir can hold a lot of water. It has a maximum capacity of 900 million US gallons (about 3.4 million cubic meters). From Hillview, the water travels through large underground pipes called New York City Water Tunnels No. 1 and No. 2. These tunnels carry the water directly to homes and businesses in New York City.
There is also a third water tunnel, New York City Water Tunnel No. 3, which is still being built. When it's finished, this new tunnel will bring water from the Kensico Reservoir straight to Hillview. From Hillview, the water will then continue its journey into the rest of New York City.
Keeping the Water Clean
Over the years, there have been concerns about keeping the water in the reservoir clean. In 1993, city officials thought about putting a concrete cover over the reservoir. This was to stop things like bird droppings from seagulls from getting into the water. Bird droppings can carry tiny germs like bacteria and viruses.
More recently, in March 2019, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) made an agreement. They worked with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make sure the water stays safe. They agreed to cover the reservoir by the year 2049. This is to follow rules from the Safe Drinking Water Act. In the meantime, they are also working to manage wildlife around the reservoir. This includes removing nests of birds like cliff swallows and safely moving or controlling other waterfowl.
