What Makes New York's Water System One-Of-A-Kind - NYC Revealed

Getting water from upstate reservoirs to the taps of over 8.5 million people in New York City is no easy feat. From purification, through thousands of miles of underground tunnels, this is how New York City gets its water.
Watch 13 minute versions here on Cheddar's KZbin page. You can also watch the full 24 minute episodes on CuriosityStream and on Cheddar's live network Wednesdays, at 9 p.m.
Full episodes here:
curiositystream.com/series/740
Subscribe to Cheddar on KZbin: chdr.tv/subscribe
Connect with Cheddar!
On Facebook: chdr.tv/facebook
On Twitter: chdr.tv/twitter
On Instagram: chdr.tv/instagram
On Cheddar.com: chdr.tv/cheddar

[@elelias5627]

Minute 2:50 , dude gets wood smacked behind the head 👷🏽‍♂️🤣

[@Jared-C]

I grew up near the Neversink, which is one that supplies NYC and our local area, and it is by far the best water I've ever drank, showered with, everything. No one in my area growing up needed water softening systems. Only when I moved away did I realize how good I had it, and how bad the water is in other areas.

[@KawaiiSoulB42]

if the water pipes are not copper u gonna have lead in it. XD Drink up!

[@johnjingleheimersmith9259]

Reminds me of programs I'd see on the History Channel or TLC before moronic reality TV style shows took over every network.

[@alex626ification]

There is no mention of Aliens.

[@chdreturns]

@@alex626ification Exactly.

[@JJRoelant]

They hired the old voiceover guy from those shows

[@TravisWalden]

Except I still don't know why they have a million little water towers and no other city does.

[@adrianrosario6457]

Ever seen Aerial America ?

[@davidkindred2440]

Good video, but I was hoping to learn more about the way the wooden rooftop tanks work. How do they get filled up? Are they just gravity drained? What happens in the Really Tall skyscrapers? ANd so forth...

[@joermnyc]

Water gets pumped up to the tanks, and then it gravity feeds the building… it’s a smoother operation than just using pumps.

[@shifterdude]

They usually use pelican birds that drop water to New Yorkers everyday. It's pretty neat

[@cheddar]

You're in luck! We have a video on that topic specifically. Search: Why New York City Still Uses Wooden Water Towers

[@RichieD_21]

Only people living in tall buildings have tanks. Vast majority of people in nyc get their water straight from the system

[@bum4evr]

Why are tanks even needed? Does the system not have enough pressure to provide water to tall buildings the normal way?

[@FinancialShinanigan]

Background music being as loud as the voices lol takes me back to 2000s

[@jasonreed7522]

Its a highly distracting production mistake.

[@CharChar2121]

Yeah, they fucked up

[@NoThrottle]

I would complain, but the voice over is perfectly centered, and the music is removed from the "center". It works well with stereo headphones. It's produced like the average pop/jazz music.

[@tomstestkitchen]

I owned one of those houses relocated to Kingston NY from the Ashokan reservoir, it was 150 years old and we loved it. NY definitely has some of the best water in the world.

[@miloa.2684]

I live about 15-20 minutes away from croton dam and during the summer sometimes large amounts of water splashes out from those tunnel things and the mist flows onto you feeling soooo refreshing

[@christopherescott6787]

NY is my bucket list city. There is so much about it that fascinates me. This being but one aspect. Cheddar ,you make learning a blast. A pity your slots are short as they are.Your content is outstanding.

[@mkkm945]

I live in NYC. You must visit. This city is amazing in its extremes. We have some truly amazing things and some truly awful things. It's always an experience, that is for sure.

[@realkilju]

So many rats running around too

[@callmeishmael_S]

dont go to brownsville or some parts of the bronx

[@buba_Dukz]

@@callmeishmael_S what’s up with the Bronx ?,

[@neyedol]

NY is a bucket. Fill it with your wildest imaginations. Mine is filled with the hopes and dreams of all the rats who traveled through hell to make it big.

[@pdee886]

Sacandaga Reservoir is another that supplies water to NYC. It's about 45 minutes north of where I am. Many awesome memories on that lake. Very clean and warm water. It had a town that was flooded as well. There aren't many remnants of the town left but there was all kinds of property that got submerged. They used to do diving tours of the area, although I'm not sure if they still do. You can tell when the water is low during the later months, where there are tons of exposed sandbars and you can walk out in waste deep water quite far. Thanks for sharing this, it's very interesting and educational. 👍👍

[@frankjones5770]

I swear I love my city. And thank whomever!

[@btms9197]

Same thing happened here in Canada to create to Saint Lawrence river. We call them “The Lost Villages” because they were submerged and flooded to extend the river more inland

[@bueno1905]

The water tower building guy seems sooo nice 😄😄😄

[@MrKarmapolice97]

I love CJ’s attitude and outlook on his life!

[@quik478]

Thank you for including acrhive materials, thos old construction sites are amazing! Really makes you remember that people and engineering weren't as undeveloped back then up to Roman empire and Egypt as we usually think.

[@najrenchelf2751]

Cheddar is turning into a water management showcase channel, and I am so here for it! :D

[@Xhadp]

I want to see Cheddar talk about water systems in the US and the world. Portland, Oregon does not add fluoride to their tap water which drastically changes how the water tastes and I think making a video about that would be really awesome.

[@andrewquigley8938]

You guys have nothing on the east coast

[@bluessi2378]

@@andrewquigley8938 and you guys have nothing on finland

[@lustatus]

Finally someone is thinking....fluoride is rate poison and it block the pineaglan for making us dummer

[@munzurharck368]

In Germany we don't add fluoride in water either. It is unimaginable!

[@moufbreava]

​@bluessi2378 I'm sure the reason why Portland doesn't add fluoride to its water is because their source water has adequate amounts in it. I'm sure the same can be said for Germany but I wouldn't know.

[@redbird415hann5]

Incredible. Thank you water system workers.

[@randomplanet001]

Thank you Cheddar! Two questions - why wooden tanks? And, how is the water untreated if it has fluoride and chlorine in it? Thanks :D

[@shigekax]

It's unfiltered !

[@cheddar]

We have a whole video on New York's water tanks! Search: Why New York City Still Uses Wooden Water Towers

[@randomplanet001]

@@cheddar Thanks! It's true, the wooden tanks do look better than metal ones.

[@randomplanet001]

@@shigekax Thanks Yuri - you're right - I misheard when he said unfiltered.🤐

[@LeemeSeeYaJAZZhands]

The wooden tanks last 50-100 years. It’s also cheaper to get individual pieces up to the roof than to hire a crane and get Street permits. The wooden design is pretty simple and the two companies that monopolized the roof tank business in NYC can usually build them in a single day, which means less downtime to the occupants.

[@calboy2]

Fascinating! I liked the UV treatment plant, had no idea

[@Acemechanicalservices]

I did the plumbing and sprinkler system in an apartment that was built in place of the old water tank at the top of a famous building on Central Park West. The sprinkler system I installed was exposed and made of copper, and it encircles the circumference of the structure, as it is round like the water tower. It has a spiral iron staircase which goes up the middle of it. In the top floor is a recording studio. The owner is the recording artist Moby.

[@kwamekante407]

I just got back from New York and I tell you I have never had water that tastes so good and clean seriously the best water system.

[@jamaly77]

Maybe the best in the US which doesn't say a lot. It has multiple chemicals in it. We use untreated water here. What a joke.

[@Avazq153]

I live right over tunnel number 2. There was work being done recently to improve water flow. I had no clue up until now that I live directly above these pipes.

[@johntodd1086]

To be honest, I really like Cheddar news. I love these topics. But come on Cheddar. These videos need to be at least an hour long!

[@IunaIia]

While a long video would be great, given this platform, six ten minute videos would be more fiscally successful than an hour long one so I doubt Cheddar will deviate from what they are doing now

[@thatdude123]

They'd loose tons of subscribers if they did an hour long video. Maybe check out there pateron

[@cheddar]

Yeah, a lot to squeeze in! Luckily, we made a 24 minute version of this episode and all from this series. You can find them on CuriosityStream.

[@kevinhoward9593]

The Croton Dam is amazing. i love that spill-over.

[@LauRoot892]

Hey o

[@AndisweatherCenter]

when I saw photos from the 1900s and saw the water towers. I thought that's how water used to be stored, but I now know some buildings still store water that way via a pump as gravity powered water didn't have the energy to go to taller buildings.

[@michaelsieber98]

is it really the best water if you have to add Chlorine? here in Germany it is normal to have unfiltered water. tap water is cleaner than bought mineral Water here

[@PerthTowne]

New York City has very good quality water. I'm constantly impressed with the engineering that brings drinking water to so many of our large cities, especially those in the Southwest.

[@LauRoot892]

Michael 🧐

[@nycwastemanagment2741]

So True. We do take advantage of the water system daily. I am greatful to all those who are responsible for the clean water NYC flows with every single day. Thank you !! I love my NYC Tap water.

[@hunter2442]

I own a water desalination plant so these videos about water are very interesting for me!

[@rwmorey71]

I'd like to learn more about the people / towns displaced by imminent domain to create the reservoirs. I had no idea that even happened.

[@kaveman_4242]

Your mom happened.

[@LauRoot892]

Richard 😚

[@vilstef6988]

The pressure tunnels are engineering marvels!

[@koharumi1]

I was hoping for a full map of the system. Which parts are open to the the air or in tunnels. Over bridge or dams. Etc.

[@johnpetty3574]

In the mid 1990's, while in a nightclub in lower Manhattan, i drank water from the faucet. And it tasted really really good.

[@wingn3849]

Many thanks to these great men and women

[@jacquelinealbin7712]

*many tanks

[@ocsrc]

When I was a kid I used to drink the water straight from the Scoharie Creek. The source of the water for NYC. Back then most of the creeks and rivers were the water supply for town, no treatment at all. It was really awesome. I miss those days. And Saratoga had natural springs and the water was so good. It had a sulphur taste to it and lithium in it. You felt really great after drinking it, especially if you were a kid. The amount of lithium was high for a kid to ingest.

[@BFRIZZLE909]

That sounds really awesome, nature is beautiful .

[@ghettomist1575]

Bro New York water is elite. Straight from the tap it tasted like bottled water. When we moved to jersey, we needed to get the big water jugs for our home, the water in our shower makes hair fall out… it’s a disaster. Definitely miss the water in NY.

[@PerthTowne]

Not all of New Jersey, and not every town gets its water from the same source.

[@Hoondaju]

one thing i love about nyc water is that as an aquarium hobbyist, i dont have to treat the water before using it.

[@stephenwhite5951]

Just finding this but pretty awesome knowing work for a company that provides material for these projects

[@jimhill4725]

Great video - I'm not surprised that you are so proud of such a beautiful, efficient and technological advanced water system.

[@NoThrottle]

The water tank owner guy is much much less awkward than he was when he showed up in Vox.

[@neyedol]

Was having Deja Vu the whole ep. Good catch.

[@jjbarajas5341]

Not his first rodeo anymore I think

[@GaryRichards813]

Yeah that Flouride water be hittin different for real. I also love the other chemicals in the water like Chloramine, Chloroform, bromodichloromethane, Haloacetic acid, Tthm & Nitrate. Keep up the good work guys 🙏❤️

[@LauRoot892]

Gary 😑

[@jakesoros2376]

You know it! 😂

[@DaemonTargaryen13]

Y’all can say what you want about New York City but their water is top tier. Cleanest I’ve ever drank

[@mennayouseff6386]

As a native NYer, who has travelled across the US and lived in a few states; nothing is like NYC water. Seriously, it just tastes better! I've had transplants ask me why we don't have filtered water stations all over like other cities, especially in the south. Well, because we drink from the tap! Hell, I would even drink from the hose in NY. When I lived in Florida you couldn't pay me to drink from the tap, let alone the hose... Lol.

[@michaelmayhem350]

But did you try the water in Flint MI

[@collan580]

I tried NYC water and i am so privileged to drink Hungarian water, you can taste chlorine in the NY tapwater especially if you put it into a water bottle and drink from it an hour later. I never experienced this with our water though i might add that our water comes from 500meter ~1500feet below ground so it doesnt really need to be treated.

[@thetimelapseguy8]

@@collan580 yeah in Europe, drinking water from a tap is completely normal, even in rural areas.

[@rainingwings449]

@@collan580 Tasting chlorine is pretty common in most places in the US. I’d rather taste a bit of chlorine than get cholera lel

[@collan580]

@@rainingwings449 Just because you dont use chlorine that doesnt mean you will get cholera. They use UV for killing viruses and bacteria and they have to use chlorine because their pipe system is in bad condition

[@ImDopeinreallife]

Dope VID CHEDDAR 👍🏼

[@tezy0193]

its such a cool city, maybe i see it in person one day..

[@VONNDREY]

Big up To All My Guyanese, We always gotta Represent‼️🇬🇾🙏🏽

[@jo-um7yf]

Great video! These folks do amazing work. And yes, as a "New Yawka", I took this for granted. No more though.

[@daveotuwa5596]

I used to drink store-bought water until some contractors fix the water system at my house.

[@LauRoot892]

Hmm 🤔

[@benfarber9738]

that dam is very peaceful at night. I hear the spillway from my house.

[@cleverusername9369]

Not to burst the guy's bubble but I really doubt that "wooden water towers" would make a top 10 list of anyone's "iconic New York City landmarks."

[@Dave-dh7rt]

It definitely does!

[@GtKuBz]

Coming from a land of nothing but rainforest to the big concrete jungle of NYC. The view he gets is not like anyone else's who visits here.

[@TKO-NY]

You're wecome. -From Upstate NY.

[@kiddream5749]

Thank you to everyone who makes sure it got water 🚿

[@brianrivera2247]

I love how they show two guys sitting on the water tank building it and one guy hits the other in the head with a piece of wood. right at 2:50.

[@justinfay3011]

This could’ve and probably should’ve been longer. I would’ve watched it all.

[@teebzr5975]

These infrastructure workers are so essential and they need to be paid more than some insignificant ball player artist or a social media influencer

[@igirsvsberuvsbellion7550]

These gentlemen need to come to Norway! The best Water you can find on the planet even though water is everywhere the quality can't be matched. I salute your profession and entusiasme but Norway is just different breed to you all. No disrespect to New Yorks or USA for the matter but We the best and cleanest in the world. I might give you 5 slot behind Belgium.

[@Bowlnmike]

So much potential, but it seems they cut way too much content. What about those tanks? How does water get there?

[@andrewismyusername]

Pumps. Water towers can be thought of almost as a battery that stores pressure. Without a water tank, all water pressure in tall buildings would be supplied by pump and the building would loose pressure if the pump stopped at all or too many people had their taps on at once. Water tanks allow some time where pumps can be off without losing pressure and can be drawn down to provide excess flow when the pumps alone are insufficient. They basically allow you to utilize a smaller more efficient pump by storing excess water during low usage times and allowing it to flow back downhill during high usage times to pick up the slack.

[@cheddar]

We have a whole video on the water tanks specifically. Search: Why New York City Still Uses Wooden Water Towers

[@tupperlake100]

If you live in the Adirondacks you can drink about any water you find. Spring water is ice cold and delicious. When camping, you can use use the springs to keep drinks cold.

[@rahmanr112]

This is awesome!

[@entertainme202]

Kinda happy my fellow Guyanese does such an ironic job in the USA.

[@propheticanomaly866]

We thank you for the water! - from the Bronx/Harlem

[@l0gical974]

"we're proud to have unfiltered water" then goes on to list the chemicals they put in the water lmao

[@agamemmedov9833]

Hello, this system is really an ecologically clean system, and I appreciate the people of America for that.

[@KeyserSoze23]

Is this Cheddar or the New York City channel? I'm not complaining by the way great vids!

[@saucyhighlights5534]

@2:50 guy gets hit with wood on his head 🤣

[@thebizzle413]

I proudly grew up right next to the Amawalk resevior.

[@rhowell1978]

Why are you proud? It’s just a place.

[@Menjoro]

So what are the tanks for? Did i miss it? If you have underground pipes, why do they even need those tanks?

[@kirkrotger9208]

Pressure. If you have pipes coming from underground, it's hard to maintain pressure above 5 stories.

[@Menjoro]

@@kirkrotger9208 Thanks :)

[@andresmcavoy5765]

Pump the water up to the water tank, use the pressure to provide water to the people below. Usually easier than on demand pumping to each unit from the ground/street level.

[@Menjoro]

@@andresmcavoy5765 Was just wondering, since a lot of cities (in europe for example) dont use this. Event on skyscrapers :)

[@dyarous]

@@Menjoro skyscrapers need water tank. even in europe there are actually water tanks in buildings and skyscrapers, it's just hidden unlike nyc. especially europe doesnt have much tall buildings.

[@rdlplays9472]

The city of Chicago used to have water towers like this on almost all buildings until they were not used anymore and many were torn down

[@ilovechika1]

"...aound the world for being some of the best water" I have never heard that in my life and I live where you get Voss water from the tap

[@rhowell1978]

Same here, never heard of New York’s supposed special water and I come from an area where the water is naturally filtered through rocks into an aquifer.

[@daveotuwa5596]

The Big Apple's water tastes delicious thanks to the light that kills the bacteria. It still does not tastes as good as the water from an Oceanian island.

[@kwanyeecheng]

Lived there for 3 years and I would say NYC water is by far the best.

[@whatlee8671]

I feel like this account is run by someone who moved to New York for college or for career and is now completely obsessed with learning everything there is to know about New York and telling everyone on KZbin.

[@facubeladiro5009]

2:49 LMAOOOOOOOOOO

[@yateswebb]

i really miss NYC

[@eaglescout1984]

Lake Mead: _Driying up_ NYC water board: "Yeah, water flows over the spillway, that's what happens when you get more water than you need."

[@danieldelacruz7305]

Nice video, cover bridges and bridge workers next

[@kartierglory]

Cheddar = the New York channel 😂

[@mrpeel3239]

Awesome!

[@bobchooper114]

I'm a union plumber and I take a lot of pride in building our infrastructure. This guy does as well. We need more soldiers in this trade to keep America safe.

[@gelaciofarias1397]

Very interesting

[@Yotrek]

I wonder what was in the construction materials of those submerged towns. Lead paint? Asbestos?

[@LauRoot892]

Carl

[@oneflowerninjamagic1912]

at 10:24 "You turn that dap - The water has been there every single day since 1842. We take a lot of pride in that. AS YOU SHOULD. OUTSTANDiNG JOB ! 👌👏🌹I❤NY

[@samppa856]

Never ever have I heard anybody say that New York water is one the cleanest in the world.

[@GaryRichards813]

At first I thought this video was a joke. I'm mindblown that people think this was true lmao

[@vernefits1953]

good job NYC

[@BestStockStrategy]

Except NYC puts fluoride in their water.... Even so, the water from the Catskills and Delaware River is extremely clean (naturally).

[@pwric3842]

Where is that bridge with the river under it, in the beginning of the video please its important

[@josuardgonzalesmedia]

Make lots of NYC content , TY

[@dimitrygornomelikov3146]

I want a tour of this

[@thecool307]

The world cleanest water is Zemzem water source in Saudi Arabia. Go check it out you'll be amazed

[@Brandonbasdeo]

Guyanese happy to hear that

[@Ganymede1001]

Do enjoy the commentator, such nostalgia!!

[@morrisonmeister]

You should check out the Paris water treatment plant.

[@karmaalwaysprevail1202]

Let’s gooo, my fellow Guyana’s showing up. 🇬🇾

[@lawrencelewis2592]

I had a job that took me to isolated towns southwest of Kingston, NY, south of route 28 and north of 55. It's largely uninhabited as that's where the water comes from. There are road maps that show roads that go through that area but they are actually dirt tracks that don't go anywhere. The reservoirs are patrolled by NYC cops. They don't want you hanging around if you should stop and have a sandwich while standing next to your car. You can see the aqueducts there- they look like railroad embankments but there's no tracks. There are little towns where people moved to after their towns were abandoned because the reservoirs were enlarged. These towns are not on the way to anywhere else and are isolated. The people in those towns are inbred and they are not pleasant places to be. I had to look at the boilers in the local schools and I was so glad to get out of those places. Gardiner was one of the towns, as I recall but it's been over 30 years.

[@saturnianali8r]

Lol. Gardiner is about an hour to the south so wondering where you went. It's southern Ulster County and Kingston/Ashokan is northern. I live near the Ashokan. Few of the people around Gardiner would have been displaced in the flooding of the towns. It's mostly families around Olive/Shokan/Woodstock/Phoenicia. Anyway, I hope you return. I would hope it's nicer than in your memories. There is still a weird mix of the people who have lived here for generations and the newbies(those who just moved or whose parents moved from the NYC area), but I love this area.

[@lawrencelewis2592]

@@saturnianali8r Like I say, it's been almost 30 years since I was there so my memory is a little hazy. it's pretty country but in so many of those towns, the people are a bit strange. I lived in Poughkeepsie from 1979 to 1995 and one day, my wife and I went to an Italian carnival in Highland. We were standing at one of the gambling tables when we both noticed a man with one eye. No eyepatch, just blank skin where an eye is supposed to be. We looked at each other and got in the car without a word. Drove back across the river and we went to a bar and we both had a shot of Jack Daniels. I said to her, "Let's never do this again." She agreed.

[@benmcreynolds8581]

Just cause I saw a video about accidents related to falling into water towers or tanks and not being able to get out. Even water testing employees. They really need to install safety measures inside the water tank In case someone happened to fall in? There will be ladder🪜 inside to make sure you have something to grab, and can climb back up and make sure the lid can be opened even if it's closed on the side. Just so no more people drown in water tanks..

[@AndyB718]

Been down in the unfinished tunnels a few times as an operating engineer..

[@ichiban81]

good video i never knew where my water came from

[@280StJohnsPl]

Best water anywhere.... a guy from Dallas raved about how good NYC water tasted

[@Someone-cd7yi]

0:00 lead

[@agme8045]

Tbh its so weird they have those wooden tanks. In my city the tanks are like big boxes made out of tile and concrete, kinda like swimming pools but covered at every side and on the roofs lol There are tanks that kinda look like the nyc ones too, but they are made out of metal, not wood. Barely anything is made out of wood tbh, furniture at most.

[@kirkrotger9208]

Wood is used because it's a good natural insulator and prevents freezing without the need for additives that could taint the water.

[@agme8045]

@@kirkrotger9208 yes, wood is a great building material. I wish the rest of the world used it as much as you guys do, its definitely more ecological than most other materials too

[@dyarous]

there's a whole video talkin about the thing you're wondering on this very same channel.

[@collan580]

@@agme8045 I much rather have a non-wooden water tank. These things can rot and a lot of stuff can fall into these tanks like birds if it isnt maintained properly and unfortunately a lot of them arent maintained properly

[@agme8045]

@@dyarous im pretty sure I’ve seen it, I don’t remember much though

[@joemama397]

Nah Singapore has the world’s cleanest water, it’s called NEWater