KEY POINTS
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The North End Recirculation Project broke ground Oct. 26 in Central Park at a reported cost of $35.7 million.
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The system is designed to divert 132 million gallons from local sewers and conserve 175 million gallons of drinking water each year.
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Completion is expected in fall 2028. The project will manage stormwater across a 204-acre park watershed.
New York City broke ground Oct. 26 on a $35.7 million water-management project in northern Central Park designed to reduce flooding in Harlem and East Harlem and conserve drinking water. According to an Oct. 26 announcement from the New York Governor's Office, the North End Recirculation Project is expected to be completed in fall 2028.
The project will connect three park water bodies — the Harlem Meer, the Loch and the Pool — in a recirculation system that also manages stormwater. Officials said it will reduce the amount of runoff entering the combined sewer system that serves the park and surrounding neighborhoods during heavy rainfall.
Central Park, as seen from an aerial image, is an 843-acre urban landscape surrounded by Manhattan structures in New York City. Image: Shutterstock
How Will the Recirculation System Work
During dry weather, the system will divert water from the Harlem Meer and pump it south of the Pool. Water will then flow back through the system by gravity, according to the city’s project description. The recirculation loop is intended to reduce the park’s reliance on the city’s drinking-water supply to replenish the three water bodies.
Harlem Meer is a man-made lake in the northeastern corner of Central Park, near Harlem and East Harlem. It lies west of Fifth Avenue, south of 110th Street and north of the Conservatory Garden. The lake is roughly 11 acres, with a shoreline around three-quarters of a mile long.
Before a major storm, operators will lower the Meer’s water level to create additional capacity for rainfall. The project is designed to manage stormwater across a 204-acre watershed in Central Park’s north end. The city said the system is expected to reduce stormwater flows to city sewers by 90% in that area.
The two operating modes address different water conditions. Recirculation and conservation is addressed during dry weather, and additional storage capacity is key ahead of forecast storms. The city has described these as planned functions. They noted that the performance figures cited are projections, not operating results.
The North End Recirculation Project broke ground Oct. 26 in Central Park at a reported cost of $35.7 million. The system is designed to divert 132 million gallons from local sewers and conserve 175 million gallons of drinking water each year. Shown is a stock image of the Lake in Central Park, New York City early morning in late autumn. Image: Shutterstock
How Much Water is the Project Expected to Handle
The system is expected to keep approximately 132 million gallons of stormwater out of local sewers each year and conserve an estimated 175 million gallons of potable water annually, the city said.
The project also is intended to improve water quality in the Meer, Loch and Pool. The city said the recirculation system is expected to reduce harmful algal blooms that thrive during warmer months. It did not provide a numerical forecast for water-quality changes or identify a monitoring schedule in the groundbreaking announcement.
The work is part of a wider effort to improve the north end of Central Park. The city noted that the Conservancy opened the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer in 2025, replacing the former Lasker Rink and Pool with a year-round recreation center and restoring a historic watercourse.
The recirculation project is a separate infrastructure investment focused on stormwater, water conservation and the park’s water bodies, officials said.
How the Project is Funded and Scheduled
The $35.7 million project combines city, state and private funding. The city announcement identified more than $19.6 million in New York City capital funding, including $14.2 million from the Department of Environmental Protection, and a $10 million Green Resiliency Grant from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation. Central Park Conservancy donors are contributing $3.5 million, with additional city and council funding completing the package.
The New York State grant is funded through the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. The announcement did not identify a general contractor or detail the construction phases. The stated completion target is fall 2028, with the system’s projected annual water benefits dependent on its eventual operation.
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