Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, located in the Brooklyn bank of Newtown Creek is the largest out of New York City’s 14 wastewater treatment plants. It serves a population of over one million people in Lower Manhattan, eastern Midtown Manhattan, and parts of Brooklyn and Queens, in total an area of 63.5 square kilometers. The plant can handle up to 1.8 million cubic meters of wastewater each day. Essentially the main function and of this plant is to treat anything that gets washed into the gutters from the street, anything that households and businesses flush down the toilet or dump down the drain.
The sewage water and sewage solids go through different steps and processes, passing through different machines before it is finally released into the East River. One of the most important machines is the aeration tank, and the digesters which are shaped like an egg. The gases that are produced during the process is used to power the machines and to heat the room during winter, that way they are fully taking advantage of the energy they can use. The field trip reminded me to be able to appreciate the water I get to access every day and to also take action to decrease the impacts of wastewater on the environment by doing small steps like using less water and not throwing grease and wipes into drains. I am also reminded of how important it is to always think about the result of our actions to the environment and to take responsibility for it because this plant is a great example of New York trying to keep the environment clean.
