Repairs to the Delaware Aqueduct bypass are paused again

The leaky Delaware Aqueduct will have to wait another year for repairs, though there are no guarantees that it will be next year, according to an announcement from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection today.

The repair was “paused” in November 2024 with the announcement by New York City Mayor Eric Adams as part of a broader rollout of water-conservation measures as the city experienced its longest rainless streak in recorded history.

To fix the leak, the aqueduct under the Hudson River has to be drained and out of service for eight months — a significant proposal as New York City gets about half its drinking water through that aqueduct.

“The final bypass connection requires an eight-month shutdown and draining of the Delaware Aqueduct that would start in October of any given year because demand for water is at its lowest all year during the winter months,” the city said.

NYCDEP announced it will begin a new procurement and contracting process to make the final connection of a new bypass tunnel as the last step in its $2 billion project.

“November’s pause of the project after the historic drought last fall ended the existing construction contract, forcing the final connection to be completed under a new procurement process,” the city said. “Given the need for a new contract, continued concerns about lower-than-average precipitation, and plans to upgrade pumps in the aqueduct, the final connection is not expected to be completed until after 2027.”

“A new contract must take every contingency into account to ensure we meet our critical responsibility of providing the highest quality water possible to nearly 10 million New Yorkers every day, without exception,” said DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “This final connection will allow us to continue fulfilling our vital mission for future generations.”

Delaware Currents has a host of stories about the on-again, off-again aqueduct repair here.