Big Apple, Big Thirst - a PDH Online Course for Engineers, Architects and Surveyors

Big Apple, Big Thirst

J.M. Syken

Course Outline

Through the viewing of several archival/documentary films produced in the 1920s/40s and 2000s, we will examine the history and development of New York City’s water supply from the Croton and Delaware water sheds.

Furthermore, we will examine the history, need etc. of the water tunnel system that supplies fresh water to the city from these distant water sources. This includes Water Tunnels One and Two (completed in 1917/36 respectively) and Water Tunnel No. Three (expected to be online in 2013).

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, the student will:

Understand/appreciate the origins of NYC’s fresh water supply from wells and the need for a more reliable water supply;
Understand/appreciate the creation of the Croton Water Shed/Aqueduct System as NYC’s first reliable source of fresh water;
Understand/appreciate the need/creation of the Delaware Water Shed/Aqueduct System to supply all five boroughs of NYC with fresh water;
Understand/appreciate the deficiencies and lack of redundancy of Water Tunnels One and Two and the need to construct a third water tunnel to mitigate these deficiencies;
Understand/appreciate the scope and scale of the construction of NYC’s Water Tunnel No. 3; and
Understand/appreciate the problems encountered/overcome in the construction of Water Tunnel No. 3 and the role of the critical role of the Sandhogs in its creation.

Intended Audience

This course is intended for architects, engineers, contractors and other design/construction professionals.

Benefit to Attendees

The attendee/s will gain an intimate knowledge and insight into the development, innovations, technologies etc. of supplying New York City with a reliable supply of fresh water.

Course Introduction

The course incorporates the viewing of several archival/documentary films broken down as follows;

Part 1 – Water Tunnel Nos. 1 & 2
Part 2 - Water Tunnel No. 3

Part 1 examines the infrastructure of the Delaware Water/Shed Aqueduct System inclusive of Water Tunnels Nos. 1 & 2 and the water treatment/purification process. Part 2 examines the design/construction of Water Tunnel No. 3 and the pivotal role of NYC’s legendary Sandhogs in its creation.

Course Content

Part 1 – Water Tunnel Nos. 1 & 2;
TITLE: New York Water Supply (Silent)(1927)
LINK: http://archive.org/details/gov.archives.arc.95622
DURATION: 11:30
TITLE: City Water Supply (1941)
LINK: http://archive.org/details/CityWate1941
DURATION: 10:39
Part 2 – Water Tunnel No. 3;
TITLE: The Big Bounce (ca. 2009)
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dShvdsRTNrY
DURATION: 92:36

Course Summary

When most people think of New York, they think of the vertical city of skyscrapers squeezed onto a long, narrow island called Manhattan. But to make that above ground city function, there’s an entire underground city few people know about and/or realize it’s even there. Tunnels to carry the sewage, communications, subways and - most importantly, fresh water (without which habitation of the city would be impossible) was/is the work of the legendary Sandhogs. Their first job in NYC was the sinking of the Brooklyn Bridge’s pneumatic caissons which support the two bridge towers. Ever since, they’ve been deep underground creating the tunnels which form the underground arteries of the living city that is the Big Apple.

Related Links

For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites:

http://en.wikipedia.com/wiki/Sandhog

http://en.wikipedia.com/wiki/New_York_City_Water_Tunnel_No._3

http://www.epa.gov/region2/water/nycshed/

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.