Water
As the warm months approach and I consider a trip out to a waterpark, or a trip to go river rafting, I was interested to read the most recent couple of posts on Ben Jervey’s excellent “reblog” sustaiNYC.
First, a post going to an Observer article on NYC’s water infrastructure, featuring a wonderful photograph of The Old Croton Aqueduct.
New York gets its water from two upstate reservoir systems that it owns and operates. To keep the sources of water clean the city works upstate to purchase land and ensure best management practices by local farmers and other residents.
The most interesting bit to me, of the part Jervey quotes, is how much our water is cleaned by natural ecological processes, and how we can sort of hang a price tag on that by considering how much it would cost to build a comparable filtration plant to do the same work.
The second post is more recreational, going to the new Parks Dept. Water Trail Map, basically featuring “28 spots along our vast waterfront where you could drop in a canoe or kayak.” Spending life amongst tall buildings and down in subway tunnels, it’s easy to forget this is a coastal, island city.
Of course, knowing it is one thing. Actually getting in that water is quite another. Seriously, have you looked at the East River (ok, tidal estuary) lately? *shudder* 
Posted: March 28th, 2008 under New York, Stuff I Like.