New York City hasn’t seen a lot of rain lately.
The dry conditions have reached a point where water has noticeably evaporated from the reservoir basins in Silver Lake Park.
Meanwhile, New York state counties outside of the five boroughs are under either a drought warning or a drought watch, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
But one New Brighton resident alerted the Advance/SILive.com to some perpetual running water in the street near her home.
“It’s more than a trickle,” said Diane Maydick Youngberg.
Youngberg said that the water flow sometimes encroaches onto her driveway, making it wet.
She said she first noticed the water running in the street a month or six weeks ago.
The Advance/SILive.com visited the area recently to check on conditions.
Water could be seen running next to the curb along Castleton Avenue, beginning at Brighton Avenue, near Morris Intermediate School.
The water runs down Castleton and makes a right turn at N. Randall Avenue. The water continues to run for a bit longer until petering out near Valencia Avenue.
The water runs for more than a tenth of a mile.
The water appears to originate from underneath a road-construction plate in the street at Castleton and Brighton.
Underground leak in New Brighton appears to emanate from this spot at Castleton and Brighton avenues.Tom Wrobleski/Staten Island Advance
A manhole cover along the way on Castleton is covered with water, making it appear that water is coming up from underneath.
The city Department of Environmental Protection said that a leaking underground valve is the culprit and must be replaced.
Water covers manhole cover on Castleton Avenue in New Brighton amid report of underground leak in the area.Staten Island Advance | Tom Wrobleski
“DEP is working to schedule a repair and minimize the necessary shutdown to reduce impacts to the area,” the agency said.
The DEP said that the valve is located several feet below street grade and that when the valve begins to leak, water seeps into the surrounding subsurface sediment rather than flowing directly to the surface.
As the ground becomes saturated, the water gradually makes its way upward, which is why it appears as a slow, persistent leak, according to DEP.
The leak is not connected to any issues with the Silver Lake Park reservoirs or the water holding tanks there.
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