Friday, December 23, 2016

The Irregular Guide to New York City Entry #6: The Newtown Creek Digester Eggs






Located on the scenic banks of one of the most polluted bodies of water in the United States is the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. The largest of New York’s fourteen wastewater plants, this is where much of the city’s poop comes to be treated. If you’re interested in sewage (and what explorer isn’t?) the plant is well worth the trip out to Brooklyn. There’s a Visitor’s Center where you can learn exactly what happens to the stuff you flush down the toilet—and a Nature Walk that lets you explore the grounds. But the plant’s incredible sludge-processing Digester Eggs are what make it a first-class destination. Take a tour, and you’ll swear you’re on the set of a science-fiction film. The Digester Eggs earned their name because they resemble eight enormous steel eggs. On top, glass-enclosed catwalks stretch from one egg to the next, and at night, the entire facility is lit with blazing blue lights. In New York, we treat our sludge in style.

And the very best part? Once every month, the public is allowed to visit the Digester Eggs. Make a reservation at events@dep.nyc.gov.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

They do look pretty.

Robert in San Diego

Eastonnnnn said...

Kirsten Miller i emailed you kikistrike@gmail.com check it out!

Anonymous said...

Anyone got good sewage plant stories?

Here in San Diego, a seven mile park loop road beloved by cyclists for time trials and flat rides is on an "Island" formerly used for drying sludge. It's close to my apartment.

My workplace is basically across the street from a "Waste Water Treatment Plant." Unlike the Sci-Fi Film Digester Eggs, that place looks like a cross between a a newly constructed community college and a minimum security prison.

On a much more unfortunate note, the current wisdom in the local surfing community is to stay out of the water after rains because of all the nasty stuff that washes directly into the sea.

Robert in San Diego

Kristen Kittscher said...

Loving these sneak peaks at the guide. I was just in the city, but clearly I'll have to plan a future trip...

Marie said...

Yep, I love in San Diego too and you better stay far away from the water after any sort of storm. Too much sewage. Lots of ear infections and sicknesses result. I myself got sick from too much bad water consumption up my nose just this summer in June.