Once a major industrial hub between Brooklyn and Queens, Newtown Creek has suffered over a century of pollution. Despite cleanup efforts, it remains one of the most contaminated waterways in the U.S., according to the EPA. Today, it stands as both a reminder of New York’s industrial past and a challenge for its environmental future.
For over a century, industries along Newtown Creek have released toxic chemicals and heavy metals into the water. Long-term exposure to these pollutants can cause cancer, organ damage, and other serious health problems. Despite warnings, some residents still fish and boat here, unaware of the dangers lurking beneath the surface.
Newtown Creek’s cleanup is far from complete. While the city has upgraded wastewater treatment facilities, over a billion gallons of untreated sewage still flow into the creek each year during heavy rain. A new $3.3 billion tunnel project aims to reduce overflows by 2040—but even then, hundreds of millions of gallons of waste will continue to enter the water.
