Feasibility Study for the Consolidation of NYC Wastewater Resource Recovery Facilities on Rikers Island

Reimagining Rikers Island

Reimagining Rikers Island

Welcome to DEP’s Feasibility Study Information Website

Background

In 2019, the New York City Council passed a law requiring that the Department of Correction (DOC) stop operating on Rikers Island and that the current jail system be replaced with a smaller borough-based jail system. That decision opens the land on Rikers Island for alternative uses in the future.

In 2021, the Council passed a series of laws, collectively known as the “Renewable Rikers Laws,” that require various City Agencies to begin examining potential uses for the space. The Laws specifically focus on broad public benefit, renewable energy, and critical environmental infrastructure.

This Study

One of the 2021 laws required DEP to assess the feasibility of building a new Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF), as well as assess any recoverable methane on Rikers Island. This project, the Feasibility Study for the Consolidation of NYC WRRFs on Rikers Island (Feasibility Study) began in April 2022 and was completed in March 2024.

The Feasibility Study determined that it would be feasible to consolidate the operations of four existing WRRFs – Bowery Bay, Hunts Point, Tallman Island, and Wards Island – into a new facility on Rikers Island. This new state-of-the-art facility would help NYC achieve our energy, air quality, and water quality improvement goals. Further, it would move the bulk of wastewater operations out of neighborhoods and allow the current sites to be dedicated to meet future needs.

You can read the WRRF Feasibility Study here

You can read the Methane Assessment Report here

You can learn more about DEP’s wastewater treatment operations here.

Renewable Rikers Laws

In 2021, the City Council passed a series of laws to consider future uses for Rikers Island. Those laws, collectively called the “Renewable Rikers Laws,” include:

New York City Local Law 16 of 2021

Establishes a process to transfer the land, buildings, and facilities of Rikers Island to the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services and establishes the Rikers Island Advisory Committee.

Learn More

New York City Local Law 17 of 2021

Expands the City’s long-term energy plan being conducted by the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice to include a study of the feasibility of different types of renewable energy sources combined with battery storage on Rikers Island.

Learn More

New York City Local Law 31 of 2021

Requires DEP to conduct a study to assess the feasibility of constructing a wastewater treatment facility on Rikers Island.

Learn More

Borough-based Jail Plan

A Roadmap to Closing Rikers

For information about the City’s plan to close Rikers Island and create a borough-based jail system, visit A Roadmap to Closing Rikers.

Learn More

Rikers Island and Study Sites

This Study assessed the feasibility of consolidating the Bowery Bay, Hunts Point, Tallman Island, and Wards Island WRRFs into one facility on Rikers Island.

These WRRFs are all less than two miles from Rikers Island. They serve neighborhoods in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens.

Each of the four WRRFs is nearly 100 years old. They are still functioning and serving the community, but as treatment technology improves and water quality requirements change, these older facilities will require significant investment keep up.

Hunts Point

In operation since	1952
Design Capacity	200 million gallons per day
Population Served	684,569
Receiving Waterbody	Upper East River
Drainage Area	16,664 acres, eastern section of the Bronx

Tallman Island

In operation since	1939
Design Capacity	80 million gallons per day
Population Served	410,812
Receiving Waterbody	Upper East River
Drainage Area	16,860 acres, northeast section of Queens

Bowery Bay

In operation since	1939
Design Capacity	150 million gallons per day
Population Served	848,328
Receiving Waterbody	Upper East River
Drainage Area	15,203 acres, northeast section of Queens

Wards Island

In operation since	1937
Design Capacity	275 million gallons per day
Population Served	1,061,558
Receiving Waterbody	Upper East River
Drainage Area	12,056 acres, western section of the Bronx and upper east side of Manhattan

Hunts Point

In operation since: 1952
Design Capacity: 200 million gallons per day
Population Served: 684,569
Receiving Waterbody: Upper East River
Drainage Area: 16,664 acres, eastern section of the Bronx

Wards Island

In operation since: 1937
Design Capacity: 275 million gallons per day
Population Served: 1,061,558
Receiving Waterbody: Upper East River
Drainage Area: 12,056 acres, western section 
of the Bronx and upper east side of Manhattan

Bowery Bay 

In operation since: 1939
Design Capacity: 150 million gallons per day
Population Served: 848,328
Receiving Waterbody: Upper East River
Drainage Area: 15,203 acres, northeast section of Queens

Tallman Island

In operation since: 1939
Design Capacity: 80 million gallons per day
Population Served: 410,812
Receiving Waterbody: Upper East River
Drainage Area: 16,860 acres, northeast section of Queens

Reimagining Rikers Island

Reimagining Rikers Island

Welcome to DEP’s Feasibility Study Information Website

Background

In 2019, the New York City Council passed a law requiring that the Department of Correction (DOC) stop operating on Rikers Island and that the current jail system be replaced with a smaller borough-based jail system. That decision opens the land on Rikers Island for alternative uses in the future.

In 2021, the Council passed a series of laws, collectively known as the “Renewable Rikers Laws,” that require various City Agencies to begin examining potential uses for the space. The Laws specifically focus on broad public benefit, renewable energy, and critical environmental infrastructure.

This Study

Renewable Rikers Laws

In 2021, the City Council passed a series of laws to consider future uses for Rikers Island. Those laws, collectively called the “Renewable Rikers Laws,” include:

New York City Local Law 16 of 2021

New York City Local Law 17 of 2021

New York City Local Law 31 of 2021

Borough-based Jail Plan

A Roadmap to Closing Rikers

Rikers Island and Study Sites

This Study assessed the feasibility of consolidating the Bowery Bay, Hunts Point, Tallman Island, and Wards Island WRRFs into one facility on Rikers Island.

These WRRFs are all less than two miles from Rikers Island. They serve neighborhoods in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens.

Each of the four WRRFs is nearly 100 years old. They are still functioning and serving the community, but as treatment technology improves and water quality requirements change, these older facilities will require significant investment keep up.

Hunts Point

Hunts Point

Tallman Island

Tallman Island

Bowery Bay

Bowery Bay

Wards Island

Wards Island

We’d love to hear from you

Contact Us

Contact us to provide input or get information about the Feasibility Study.

© 2022 Reimagine Rikers