Kensico-Eastview Connection – New York City, NY
Client
- New York City Department of Environmental Protection
Project Value 
$2B
Market
Tunneling, Water And Wastewater
Services
Program/Construction Management (PM/CM)
The Kensico-Eastview Connection Project is strengthening the reliability and capacity of New York City’s water supply system. Located in the Town of Mount Pleasant, New York, the project spans the Kensico Reservoir and Eastview sites.
At Kensico, work is advancing along the reservoir’s western shoreline. Meanwhile, the Eastview site connects with the Catskill-Delaware Ultraviolet Disinfection Facility. Together, these locations anchor a major water infrastructure program that will serve millions of people.
Building A Critical Water Supply Connection
The project centers on a new 10,300-foot deep rock tunnel. The tunnel will create a second connection between the Kensico Reservoir and the Catskill-Delaware Ultraviolet Disinfection Facility.
Once excavated, the tunnel will have a finished diameter of 27 feet. A Robbins Main Beam tunnel boring machine will excavate the Manhattan formation bedrock.
In addition, two deep shafts will connect the tunnel with surface infrastructure. Shaft 1C will support construction at Kensico, while Shaft 2C will provide access at Eastview. Both shafts will also support ventilation and future operations.
Our team brings extensive tunneling and underground infrastructure experience to complex programs of this scale.
Coordinating Multiple Construction Contracts
The program includes five coordinated construction contracts. Each contract supports a specific component of the new water conveyance system.
KENS-EAST-2 includes the relocation of Westlake Drive and major site preparation at Kensico. The contract is approximately 60% complete. Substantial completion is currently targeted for October 2026. This early work prepares the site for shaft excavation and later construction activities.
KENS-EAST-1 began in March 2025 and includes tunnel excavation, shaft construction, and major rock work. At Eastview, crews completed the utility relocations needed for Shaft 2C. As a result, shaft excavation can move forward.
At Kensico, the contractor has mobilized for Shaft 1C construction. The team has also completed permitting and started test blasting. Overall, KENS-EAST-1 is approximately 10% complete as preparations for tunneling continue.
Protecting The Reservoir Environment
Supporting contracts will address shoreline stabilization and wetland mitigation.
The shoreline stabilization contract will repair approximately 1,600 feet of the Kensico Reservoir’s western shoreline. Superstorm Sandy caused significant erosion in this area. Therefore, the work will protect the shoreline while supporting long-term site resilience.
Additionally, the wetland mitigation contract will offset impacts to approximately 2.33 acres of wetlands. The project team will create a new off-site mitigation area to support this effort.
This environmental work complements the project’s broader commitment to resilient and responsible water and wastewater infrastructure.
Delivering Major Connection Facilities
The future KENS-EAST-3 contract will deliver several above- and below-ground structures. These include a new screen chamber at Kensico and a connection chamber at Eastview.
The screen chamber will help manage water flow and remove debris before water enters the tunnel. It will handle flows of up to 2.645 billion gallons per day.
Meanwhile, the Eastview connection chamber will integrate the new tunnel with the existing disinfection facility. Together, these structures will support efficient operations across the expanded system.
Strengthening New York City’s Water System
Once complete, the Kensico-Eastview Connection will provide a redundant route between the reservoir and the disinfection facility. Consequently, operators will gain greater flexibility when inspecting, maintaining, or upgrading existing infrastructure.
The new connection will also improve system resilience and support long-term water quality. In addition, it will help New York City meet regulatory requirements associated with upgrades at the Hillview Reservoir.
The project builds on our experience supporting major New York water programs, including the Delaware Aqueduct Rondout-West Branch Bypass Tunnel.
As construction advances, our team remains focused on safe and coordinated delivery. Through our program and construction management capabilities, we help clients manage complex infrastructure programs that create lasting value.
