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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a $108 million investment to replace and modernize more than 6,700 catch basins — commonly known as storm drains — across the five boroughs, aiming to reduce street flooding as rainstorms grow more intense.
According to amNewYork, Mamdani made the announcement Tuesday at a press conference in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, a neighborhood that has faced persistent flooding problems. The work will begin in Queens in July, then move to Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the Bronx over the course of the next decade.
New York City's sewer system spans 7,500 miles and includes more than 150,000 catch basins. Those grates channel rainwater from streets into the city's network of 14 wastewater treatment facilities and waterways. When basins become blocked or deteriorate, neighborhoods flood.
"Our sewage system was built for the rainfall that was anticipated more than a century ago," Mamdani said. "And as we know, rainfall now is of a very different scale in this city."
Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa Garcia said the city's most extreme storms have all arrived recently. As reported by Mirage News, Garcia told the crowd, "New York City's most intense rainstorms have all come in the past four years. That means our infrastructure has to work harder and smarter."
Garcia said the replacements will "modernize underground structures to increase capacity and take in more water," with the goal of building "a more resilient, reliable, and climate-ready city." DEP will prioritize the worst-performing basins first, using flood sensors and annual inspection data to guide decisions.
Research published in Nature warns that climate change is increasing the risk of extreme short-duration rainfall in New York City and putting additional strain on stormwater infrastructure built for far less intense downpours.
The $108 million investment builds on $20 million already spent to purchase 40 new catch basin cleaning trucks. Nine of those trucks are already operating, with four more expected later this year. DEP has also upgraded 1,776 basins and added 350 new grill replacements, curb pieces, bike-friendly grates, and slotted manhole covers since last year.
National Today reports that DEP also plans to continue spending roughly $1.5 million per year on additional basin upgrades. The agency said it has cut response times for catch basin and street flooding complaints from eight business days down to three.
City Council Member Alexa Avilés, who represents Sunset Park, welcomed the announcement. "Catch basins, you know, not sexy, but something we talk about all the time," she said. "We have community members who do 311 walks because as an environmental justice community that deals with the burdens of polluting infrastructure here in our community and persistent flooding, we know how important catch basins are."
Mamdani framed the investment as a broader statement about what city government can accomplish. "When city government can show that when it rains in the city it doesn't have to flood, it also shows New Yorkers that we can dream of a tomorrow that is better than today," he said.
Residents who spot blocked storm drains can report them by calling 311. DEP says it is already actively clearing and preparing infrastructure ahead of hurricane and flooding season.
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