New York closes tunnel supplying half its water for $2B fix

Delaware Aqueduct is the longest tunnel in the world, carrying water for 137 kilometres, but it leaks up to 132 million litres a day

A stretch of aqueduct that supplies about half of New York City’s water is being shut down through the winter as part of a $2-billion project to address massive leaks beneath the Hudson River.

The temporary shutdown of the Delaware Aqueduct in upstate New York has been in the works for years, with officials steadily boosting capacity from other parts of the city’s sprawling 19-reservoir system. Water will flow uninterrupted from city faucets after the shutdown begins this week, officials said, though its famously crisp taste might be affected as other sources are tapped into more heavily.