Gotham JA Miele, Sr, PE

Water conservation cleans Long Island Sound, RL Swanson, DJ Tonjes

Marine vessels serving New York City, W Goyzueta, J Chen, K Byrnes, R Ferro

Line stops avoid bypass in pumping station, F Gallo

Pilot biological nutrient removal, B Bodniewicz, K Mahoney

Enhanced beach protection — 2000, FJ Oliveri, F Loncar, M Ellis

Telemetering in New York, S Rozelman, S Aziz

Job order contracting, MP Quinn, P Schrayer

Operational benefits of celebrating Water Week, RE Adamski, H Einsohn, M Keating, A Lamarche, B Olivieri

CSO signage: expanded notification, S Rozelman, P Lutz, F Loncar

Brooklyn student wins water prize

Executive director's message, P Cerro-Reehil

People and places

Summer 2001 — Vol. 31, No. 2

CSO outfall with sign in the Bronx

by Stella Rozelman, PE, Peter Lutz, Frank Loncar, PE

When New York State first passed the Discharge Notification Act (DNA—also known as the Fisherman's Right-to-know Act) in 1995, to many it seemed an easy law to comply with. The simple requirement was that signs must be installed at all permitted combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharge points.

In New York City, however, the task was far from simple. The NYCDEP has more than 494 CSO outfalls throughout the City, many of which have only been seen from past boat trips by the NYCDEP's Shoreline Survey Unit and difficult to access by land. In addition many City officials had recently begun to plan projects to revitalize the City's waterfront (including various "Greenway" projects).

• Do New Yorkers want to see large signs interrupting breathtaking views of the City skyline from Brooklyn shores?
• Does NYCDEP have the authority to place signs wherever it pleases?
• How would the people of the City benefit from these signs?

Trial outfall sign installed in Queens

In response to the passage of DNA, the NYCDEP embarked on an ambitious plan to accomplish the mandate properly. A multipronged program was begun to enhance citizen education, to involve local citizens, and to work with the various entities in the public sector that would be affected by the program.

The Department saw it as an opportunity both to instruct citizens and use the public to identify problems, such as dry weather discharges. If a problem is seen at a specifically numbered outfall, a citizen could notify NYCDEP at a given phone contact point, and NYCDEP would respond in a timely fashion to investigate. NYCDEP views this citizen involvement as one more way to make the public more aware of the complexities of our mission as well as keeping them abreast of our constantly expanding and increasing responsibilities to the environment and the citizenry.

Implementing DNA

Many questions were originally raised about fulfilling the DNA mandate. The sheer number of outfalls to be identified and the locations to be verified were in themselves significant. The initial stages of the program required identification of more than 490 outfalls of the 3900+ known outfalls known in the City's waterfront.

An initial issue was the need for NYCDEP to generate and design a sign that would not only incorporate the message specified but would not be an eye sore to the locale where it would be placed. Consideration was given to the sign's color, size, location, verbiage, mounting configuration, and so on.

NYSDEC's version of the sign, (18´´ x 24´´)

Consultations

Once internal NYCDEP approval was attained, it became necessary to interface with external entities, first and foremost with NYSDEC. Then a grouping of other responsible bodies, including the New York City Art Commission and the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, were consulted. Next, various community boards, in whose areas the signs would be mounted, were consulted. Finally, the Parks Department, private owners of properties with outfalls, various stewardship groups, the Floatables Citizens Advisory Committee, and, of course, individual citizens were involved. These groups were the contact points that figured in the determination of the final design of the DNA-required signs.

As a result of input from groups, specifically the Hudson River Conservancy, it was decided to use a different form of public notification: a plaque mounted on the horizontal ledge above the outfall.

Design

Before the sign was actually designed, NYCDEP explored several factors related to signage. A myriad of considerations had to be addressed. After much discussion, particularly with New York City Department of Transportation Signs Section, a tentative sign design was arrived at. This included sign size, colors to be used, and mounting configuration.

Final NYCDEP design (24´´ x 36´´)

The final design differed somewhat from the original NYSDEC mandate. Ultimately, after NYCDEP approval, the designs of the signs and smaller plaques were submitted to the New York City Art Commission where it was accepted with minor modification.

Evaluation

The next stage was the establishment of eight trial locations. The purpose of the trial locations was to evaluate public response, inputs of elected officials, community groups and leaders, and environmental groups.

Communications with Community Boards was essential to inform them that NYCDEP would be working in their areas in response to the "Fishman's Right to Know" mandate. The purpose of the Act was explained and specific contact points within NYCDEP were established.

During the trial period, NYCDEP began working with groups such as the Brooklyn Bay Ridge Community and its “Waterwalk” Project along Shore Road. This is an excellent example of the public-private partnership atmosphere. The Community Board, the New York Aquarium, and Bay Ridge Parks and Waterfront Council joined forces with the City of New York's Parks Department, NYCDEP, and the Department of Transportation to create Waterwalk. Reflecting further community input, a special sign was designed to work in conjunction with the plaques to be installed along Waterwalk.

Existing “Waterwalk” educational signage

The installation of signs and plaques at the eight trial sites was completed during the summer of 1999. NYCDEP awaited community and citizen comments concerning any aspect of the trial signs. Through the fall and winter, the signs were inspected to see that they were clear of graffiti, that they had weathered well and that, in general, no problems occurred. Comments were accepted and acted upon.

As a result of citizen and community input, a final sign design was completed. The second phase of installation which includes Beach Protection and SA/SB waters portion of the program was initiated in October 2000 with 250 signs to be installed by the summer of 2001.

One of the plaque designs to be used for the outfalls (2´´ x 8´´)

Enhanced citizen education

The knowledge of New York's citizens about their water environment will be expanded with posting of NYCDEP's educational sign.
 
Click here for NYCDEP's educational sign (opens new window).

The notice depicts a typical CSO sewer regulator, explains its purpose, and alerts the public of action to be taken in the event of a release of wastewater into surface waters during dry weather. The sign also serves a secondary purpose; it involves the citizen in community environmental actions.

The NYCDEP help center has received calls prompted by this sign. These calls are handled by a trained cadre of employees who are fully aware of related response actions. The calls are evaluated and forwarded to cognizant technical staff who take the appropriate action.
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Stella Rozelman, PE (phone 718-595-4938), Peter Lutz, and Frank Loncar, PE are with the Division of Collection Facilities Planning, Analysis, and Engineering in the NYCDEP Bureau of Wastewater Treatment.