It's Summer, It's Very Hot And Roosevelt Island Water Fountains Have Not Worked Since 2018. Why? RIOC Gives An Update - In The Meantime, How About Turning On RI FDNY Hydrant With Sprinkler Cap?

@RIOCny are you in charge of the watering fountains on Roosevelt Island? If so, y’all need to turn them on. Water fountains are on in Manhattan, and we are in a heat advisory. It’s too hot out to not have them running.

— Sarah Moser (@pixistik04) July 26, 2020

It's summer, it's hot and the Roosevelt Island water fountains have been shut down by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) for 2 years. Initially, the fountains were shut down due to water contamination safety concerns discovered by community activist Frank Farance in summer of 2018.

  Image From Frank Farance

In the summer of 2019, we learned RIOC could not fix the water fountains due to an inability to find a qualified contractor who complies with Minority and Women Business Owned Enterprise (MWBE) regulations.

I asked RIOC Acting President Shelton Haynes:

The Roosevelt Island water fountains were shut down in 2018 for contamination safety reasons and still remain shut down.

The last we heard from RIOC on this subject was in August 2019.

Any update on Roosevelt Island water fountains - when will they be turned on?

Will any Roosevelt Island water sprinklers be turned on this year. The temperature's been in the Upper 90's recently. Roosevelt Island kids and others would enjoy be cooled off in a water sprinkler. Why are they not on?

Also, could FDNY hydrants on Roosevelt Island be turned on with sprinkler caps?

RIOC Director Of Communications & Community Affairs Erica Spencer-El answered:

We are actively addressing the water fountains throughout the island and understand the needs during the summer. Below is a brief update on where we are:

• Southpoint Park- The water fountain at the Southpoint Park comfort station is scheduled to open later this week. The Backflow project that we issued an RFP for last fall, was cancelled because we could not obtain a waiver approved for MWBE participation. The current plan is to include the water fountain fix inside other upcoming projects.
• Blackwell Park- will be repaired along with the contract for the paver replacements, which we anticipate will commence early next year.
• Lighthouse Park- we are currently working with the project designers for the Nellie Bly project to finalize the project timeline, which is scheduled to begin next spring. The fountain repair at this location will coincide with this project and we anticipate that they will be re-installed once the prep work for the Nellie Bly project is completed.
• McManus Field- the specs for a fountain are part of the comfort station work, which will be completed this year.
• Capobianco Field- we are in the planning stages for Capobianco Field and do not have an update at this time.

We will be opening the pool at Sportspark very soon and hope that it will serve as an alternative to help cool off residents while we work on getting the fountains back online throughout the island.

Roosevelt Island Drinking Water Fountains Shut Down For Safety Reasons Since Last Summer Not Expected To Be Fixed This Year, RIOC Cites NY State Minority And Women Owned Business Enterprise Regulations As Reason For Delay - Free Water Available At Nisi On Weekends

On hot summer days, Roosevelt Island residents and visitors alike would love to get a sip of water from one of our drinking fountains.

But, according to the Roosevelt Island Twitterverse:

Hey @RIOCny and @BenKallos Do you have any public drinking fountains that actually work on Roosevelt Island? I tried 3 separate ones next to 3 separate busy playgrounds on my run, all covered in spider webs. Everyone said they broke since 2018 and never fixed @NYCParks🌡🔥🥵

— LICRYNO (@LicRyno) July 31, 2019

As reported July 6, 2018:

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) announced Friday that it will shut down drinking water fountains on the Island while it investigates potential water source line issues.

RIOC thanks Island resident Frank Farance for sharing his concerns about the fountains with RIOC.

Independent consultants have been enlisted to assist RIOC with its review....

Earlier this week I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal:

What is the current status of Roosevelt Island drinking water fountains.

They had been turned off last year due to safety fears from contaminated water. Has that problem been fixed?...

A RIOC Spokesperson answered:

The fountains were turned off because our system did not comply with new Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) guidelines that had been passed after the Island’s water system was installed. RIOC issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the work, but only one bidder responded who could not meet the established project goals for state’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) regulations. So RIOC sought a waiver.

Additionally, RIOC executives met with representatives of the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC), which is the governing body that oversees approval of waivers for MWBE projects. The purpose of the meeting was to seek guidance on how to move this project forward. The State rejected the contractor’s third submission for a waiver to lower the project goals for MWBE work, so RIOC had no choice but to put the work on hold. (Please note that RIOC had already solicited bids from dozens of MWBE-qualified plumbers during the RFP process, but were unsuccessful in generating interest.)

RIOC will move forward to restore the water fountains by adding upgraded fountains to the scope of active projects. For example, the Lighthouse Park restoration will repair the fountain at that location. An upgraded fountain will be added to the new comfort station at Firefighter’s Field. The water fountain at Southpoint Park already complies with DEP guidelines.

It's unlikely the water fountains will be fixed this year.

But, on weekends, you can get a free glass of ice water at the outdoor table set up by the thoughtful folks at Nisi Restaurant. As the Nisi sign says:

It's going to be hot. Please help yourself to a cup of cold water and stay hydrated. See you at Nisi.

You can also get free water at the Roosevelt Island Starbucks.

What's The Safety Status Of Roosevelt Island Drinking Water Fountains? RIOC Invites Public To Water Quality Test Results Follow Up Meeting Wednesday Morning October 10

According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):

Community Update

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) is hosting a follow-up meeting Wednesday, October 10 at 10:30 a.m. to discuss the recent water test results of various Roosevelt Island drinking fountains.

This meeting is a follow-up to an initial meeting, held September 14 with the Roosevelt Island Residents Association, to answer additional questions about the testing results the public felt were unanswered.

WATCH the video of the first meeting here:





Dr. Roger C. Sokol, director of the Division of Environmental Health Protection, NYS Department of Health (available by teleconference); and various RIOC senior officials will be presenting information about the testing, the results and potential remediation plans.

The meeting will be held at the RIOC offices at 680 Main Street (just east of Gristedes supermarket).

If you wish to ask questions, please send your name and contact information to Alonza Robertson at alonza.robertson@rioc.ny.gov or via telephone at 212.832.4540.

 Image From Frank Farance

Tomorrow's meeting is a follow up to the September 14 RIOC meeting with representatives of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA). The local press and other members of the public were not allowed to attend the September 14 meeting.

On September 21 RIOC added:

It appears that certain members of the Roosevelt Island community are misinterpreting data from our two recent laboratory tests of water samples from Island drinking fountains and are causing undue alarm.

After reviewing a second round of Roosevelt Island outdoor fountain water laboratory test results, a health official from the NYS Department of Health, in a statement we released August 8, said the water is up to standard.

“With the exception of Capobianco Park, the review of water quality results - analyzed the second time by a New York State Department of Health Environmental Laboratory Approval Program certified laboratory (Long Island Analytical Laboratory Inc.,) are consistent with the water quality being delivered by the New York City water system and meet all applicable drinking water standards,” said Roger C. Sokol, Ph.D., director of the Division of Environmental Health Protection, NYS Department of Health....

RIRA sent the following September 24 letter to RIOC President Susan Rosenthal regarding the September 14 meeting:

Re: September 14 Meeting re Quality Concerns of RIOC Maintained Public Fountains

After our meeting on Sept. 14 to discuss the Roosevelt Island drinking fountain water testing results, it came to our attention that the full 79-page water testing report completed by Long Island Analytics was never disclosed to us. While you gave us two double-sided copied pages from that report with the "Volatiles" results of the Capobianco fountains buried inside, there was no executive summary attached as a face page and we were not afforded an opportunity to look thoroughly at these pages, either in preparation for or during, the session. Nor was it fully disclosed to us that the Healthy Buildings report which was provided at the meeting was the first and not the second set of testing. Neither the "Volatiles" results nor the findings that there were coliforms in fountains in Southpoint Park and Lighthouse Park were discussed at all.

The purpose of the meeting was for RIOC to fully disclose and report to us and the community as to RIOC's findings regarding the water systems and water testing. It was not to be an exercise where community attendees were to sift through the reports on the spot, identify all the problems, and ask questions about them. Based on what had happened during the meeting and what we understand now, the community can only surmise that RIOC did not want to discuss and fully disclose the aforementioned results with the public. It is small wonder that the bloggers on the Island believe that RIOC has deliberately kept the most damaging information from us and the community, especially since that is exactly what happened.

With regard to the total coliforms positive tests, during the session Dr. Sokol of the New York State Department of Environmental Protection stated that it was not unusual for total coliforms to be high when pipes had been turned off for a significant period of time and there was standing water in them. In July, however, after RIOC released an announcement saying the fountains had been turned off, both of ourselves, Rossana Ceruzzi and Mickey Rindler, visited Southpoint Park on behalf of the Island Services Committee and found that, in fact, the fountains were on and operational. The water fountains were never turned off as represented. Therefore, we demand that the fountains with positive coliform tests in both parks be turned off immediately and that they be retested for bacteria next spring before they are commissioned for public use. Similarly, we insist that the fountain at Blackwell House not be turned back on until it is retested and certified as safe.

Concerning the high levels of methylene chloride found in the fountains at Capobianco Field, Dr. Sokol, in his letter of August 17, also indicated that the detected levels were likely coming from glue to connect plastic piping, which we assume was what was used to construct or repair the water system in this field. This is very alarming to us because, if that is the case, then the sprinkler system water had the chemical as well and copious amounts of it were disseminated onto the field regularly. Hence, we are extremely concerned that even those using the field who did not drink from the water fountain were also exposed to this volatile potential carcinogen which can enter the body through the skin and, since it is volatile, the lungs. Moreover, chemicals generally leech out in an exponential fashion over time, meaning that the levels being measured now are, no doubt, much, much lower than those that were present soon after the actual contamination commenced.

In light of both recently discovered information, the results of our meeting and the above, we demand that

1. RIOC identify the source of the methylene chloride and inform RIRA and the public. If it is determined to likely be the glue used to connect pipes we demand to know when the work was performed and who did it.
2. RIOC inform RIRA and the public as to how and when you plan to correct the problem or replace the water system and what steps will be taken to prevent such contamination in the future.

To say that we and the community are severely disappointed with the disposition of our meeting and the actions of RIOC, and that all of our and the community's questions were answered during the September 14 meeting, is a severe understatement. Categorizing our September 14 meeting and the events that have transpired after as truthful and comforting is nothing more than pure spin on the part of RIOC on an already worsening and alarming situation.

We await your prompt response on these matters.

Sincerely,

Rossana Ceruzzi & Mickey Rindler Co-Chairs, RIRA Island Services Committee

Jeffrey R. Escobar
President, Roosevelt Island Residents Association

RIOC has not responded to RIRA's letter.

More info on this matter at prior post.

Roosevelt Island Drinking Fountain Water Quality Update - NYS Health Department Says Roosevelt Island Water Quality Meet All Applicable Standards Except For Capobianco Park - Currently, Drinking Fountains Will Stay Off But Blackwell Park Tot Lot Splash Area Will Be Turned Back On

As reported July 27:

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Susan Rosenthal reported during the July 23 RIOC Board meeting that preliminary testing of Roosevelt Island water fountains revealed:

... some high levels, higher than EPA allows, of bacteria, not E-Coli, in some of them. One sample had elevated iron levels..

Roosevelt

Island drinking water fountains have been shut off since July 6 after RIOC received a report from resident Frank Farance of possible contamination of the water supply to drinking fountains.

Image From Frank Farance

Minutes ago, RIOC Public Information Officer Alonza Robertson provided this update:

After reviewing a second round of Roosevelt Island outdoor drinking-fountain water test results, a top New York State health official, in a statement released Tuesday, said the water is up to standard.

“With the exception of Capobianco Park, the review of water quality results - analyzed the second time by a New York State Department of Health Environmental Laboratory Approval Program certified laboratory (Long Island Analytical Laboratory Inc.,) are consistent with the water quality being delivered by the New York City water system and meet all applicable drinking water standards,” said Roger C. Sokol, Ph.D, director of the Division of Environmental Health Protection, NYS Department of Health.

Water test results of two fountains at Capobianco Field showed slightly higher (>738) than normal (500) levels of heterotrophic plate counts which is an indicator of low-chlorine residual. Chlorine is present in all NYC drinking water to reduce bacteria. However, no coliform or E. coli bacteria was found.

Due to citizen concerns raised about water quality in the Island’s drinking fountains, RIOC shut down the water supply systems in all parks and playgrounds on July 6 and conducted testing from 10 different fountains and one splash park location. RIOC conducted two independent tests of the water quality; one each by Healthy Buildings Inc. and Long Island Analytical, a New York State-certified laboratory.

The water samples were analyzed in three different categories: microbiological, inorganic analytes (metals) and physical factors; and included determining the existence of, and or levels of items such as bacteria, chloride, iron, lead and sulfates.

On July 23, RIOC hired a plumbing engineer, Cameron Engineering & Associates of New York, to complete an assessment of all water connection points from NYC water to Island parks’ distribution. Until RIOC receives that report and, if required, drafts a remediation plan, all the drinking water fountains will remain off. However, the NYS Department of Health has advised RIOC that the splash park area, near the tot lot play area at Blackwell Park, can be turned back on.

RIOC is planning to meet with Jeff Escobar, president of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association, and other Island leaders, to discuss the results, answer questions and share potential further remediation plans.

More info at this July 25 post including Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) letter about the possible water contamination of Roosevelt Island drinking fountains and discussion of subject at Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island Committee.

Preliminary Study Finds Roosevelt Island Water Fountains Have Elevated Bacteria & Iron Levels Higher Than EPA Allows Says RIOC President At Board Of Directors Meeting Yesterday - Remediation Plan Hoped For Within 2 Weeks

As reported July 6:

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) announced Friday that it will shut down drinking water fountains on the Island while it investigates potential water source line issues.

RIOC thanks Island resident Frank Farance for sharing his concerns about the fountains with RIOC.

Independent consultants have been enlisted to assist RIOC with its review....

 Image From Frank Farance

And:

... WATER FOUNTAINS

Healthy Building International Inc. has been retained by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) to conduct water sampling and analysis at several drinking water fountain locations in parks and playgrounds across Roosevelt Island, RIOC President and CEO Susan Rosenthal said Tuesday.

The tests are designed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the water and to confirm its acceptability for consumption. The samples will be compared with the relevant federal Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) contaminant levels of microbials, metals and inorganic substances....

 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Susan Rosenthal reported during the July 23 RIOC Board meeting that preliminary testing of Roosevelt Island water fountains revealed:

... some high levels, higher than EPA allows, of bacteria, not E-Coli, in some of them. One sample had elevated iron levels..

RIOC is waiting for the results of more tests and hopes to have a preliminary remediation plan within the next 2 weeks.

Stay tuned for more.

Community Report From RIOC President Susan Rosenthal - Roosevelt Island Drinking Water Fountain Contaminant Study, Motorgate Garage Repair Plans, Helix Ramp & Tram Platform Additional Work May Cause Travel Delays, Boat Prow Graffiti & More

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal reports to the community:

WATER FOUNTAINS

Healthy Building International Inc. has been retained by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) to conduct water sampling and analysis at several drinking water fountain locations in parks and playgrounds across Roosevelt Island, RIOC President and CEO Susan Rosenthal said Tuesday.

The tests are designed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the water and to confirm its acceptability for consumption. The samples will be compared with the relevant federal Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) contaminant levels of microbials, metals and inorganic substances.

A plumbing engineer selected from RIOC’s newly formed A&E (Architectural and Engineering) Services committee (a panel of qualified, multi-disciplined architects and engineers) will help RIOC officials interpret the results, draft and consider potential solutions. The water analysis and a downstream review is focused on each specific point of water line connection to each actual fountain or public use spigot or valve.

RIOC announced last Friday that it was immediately shutting down water fountains after concerns, raised by Roosevelt Island resident Frank Farance about potential water source lines, prompted the agency to schedule the analysis.

“As-built drawings” – the final set of drawings a contractor files to document work, changes, construction processes and the location of all elements of the work completed and maintained - were not archived for work at all the parks and playgrounds built in the early 1970s and maintained thereafter. Those drawings document whether the playground fountains are connected to the irrigation lines or domestic water lines in the area. Without the “as-built” drawings for the other drinking fountains on the Island, RIOC cannot be certain about the connection source of all the other fountains.

RIOC had the “as-builts” for Southpoint Park’s drinking fountain from 2010 and can verify that the water is from its domestic line not the park’s irrigation system.

It was revealed during a recent water use disagreement with Wildlife Freedom Foundation (WFF), which runs cat sanctuaries on the Island, that the WFF water hose was using an irrigation line connection for its Southpoint sanctuary. (WFF has since said it was willing to continue to use “not potable,” irrigation water for their Southpoint sanctuary).

In addition to this project, The A&E services committee is expected to help RIOC manage capital projects, infrastructure maintenance and repairs – including the Sportspark renovations, the FDR Hope Memorial, the Firefighters Field comfort station/bathroom construction, future Lighthouse renovations, elevator consultant and Motorgate repairs - more efficiently and simply put, “get things done more quickly,” Rosenthal said.

MOTORGATE

At our June board of directors meeting, another group, Architecture and Engineering Group, P.C. (AEG); was awarded a contract to re-inspect the entire Motorgate facility, conduct a parking analysis and prepare documents for the plans to repair the garage. More details will be forthcoming.

WORKLISTS for the Tram Platforms, HELIX ramps and graffiti at the Prow

While major construction on both the Tram platforms and the Helix is complete, you may have noticed workers completing a series of additional tasks which include some additional asphalt and materials finishes.

The additional work – which includes concrete finishing work on the platforms and on the Helix’s upper ramp (the return ramp to Queens from Motorgate), repaving and repair of the Flat Plaza (where the RI flagpoles are located), undersides work, installation of guardrails on the lower ramp; and lane, asphalt and crosswalk striping at both ends of the ramp – also includes fixes to incomplete or incorrect installations or incidental damage to existing finishes, material, and structures; and must be completed by the contractor prior to final payment.

“We have been informed some of this work may cause travel delays on the Helix or at the Tram stations at Roosevelt Island and midtown Manhattan during the next couple weeks. As soon as we have more details, we will advise,” Rosenthal said.

Graffiti removal at The Prow, the metal dingy-like boat structure that juts out into the East River near Octagon Park has begun. RIOC crews are using Prosoco-brand paint remover which is environmental friendly and works well on metal.

After application, the product “cures” for up to an hour, before the surface is brushed and then power-washed with regular water. This step may have to be repeated several times to remove some of the Prow’s toughest graffiti spots.

Once the surface is free of graffiti, RIOC grounds crews will apply a wax-based product as a protective layer to make any new graffiti easier to remove with just a power washer as the layer of wax (and the new graffiti will “melt” away. A new layer of wax is then reapplied.

The work on the Prow and other graffiti-defaced areas around the Island is expected to continue through September.

Fourth of July Activities

RIOC is proud of have hosted more than 8,600 visitors to our Fourth of July Family Fireworks viewing event last week.

Many thanks to our partners at Cornell Tech and FDR Four Freedoms State Park, NYPD, FDNY, RIOC’s grounds, facilities, and other staff members especially our entire cadre of PSD officers, most of whom worked on foot, bike, car and from aerial viewing spots – vetting incoming car traffic at the Roosevelt Island bridge, handling crowd control from Lighthouse to Southpoint parks; and manning designated security posts from 7 a.m. – 11 p.m.

“I’d also like to extend a special shout-out to Erica Spencer-EL and Jessica Murray, the director and manager of our Community Affairs Department for leading the event coordination task group and their diligent contributions to what became a record-breaking, memorable day,” Rosenthal said.

“We’ve scheduled debriefing meetings this week with our teams to review the event’s logistics to see how we can improve for next year,” she said.

MORE OUTDOOR MOVIES

Be sure not to miss RIOC’s ongoing slate of outdoor movies in Southpoint Park this summer, next up include:

• Friday, July 20: Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi; (rain date July 27)
• Saturday, July 21: The Fifth Element; (rain date July 28)
• Friday, August 3: Black Panther; (rain date August 10)
• Friday, August 17: A Wrinkle in Time; (rain date August 24).

RIOC Shuts Down All Roosevelt Island Drinking Water Fountains For Possible Contamination After Receiving Report By Community Activist Frank Farance Of Al Lewis Playground Fountain Connection To Capobianco Field Irrigation System

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Information Officer Alonza Robertson reports:

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) announced Friday that it will shut down drinking water fountains on the Island while it investigates potential water source line issues.

RIOC thanks Island resident Frank Farance for sharing his concerns about the fountains with RIOC.

Independent consultants have been enlisted to assist RIOC with its review.

 Image From Frank Farance

Earlier today, Roosevelt Island community activist Frank Farance posted this comment about possible contamination at Roosevelt Island water fountains.

More info on Cat Sanctuary water shut off and eventual restoration here.

Stay tuned for updates.

UPDATE 7/10 - RIOC President Susan Rosenthal's Community report today addresses the water fountain contamination subject:

WATER FOUNTAINS

Healthy Building International Inc. has been retained by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) to conduct water sampling and analysis at several drinking water fountain locations in parks and playgrounds across Roosevelt Island, RIOC President and CEO Susan Rosenthal said Tuesday.

The tests are designed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the water and to confirm its acceptability for consumption. The samples will be compared with the relevant federal Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) contaminant levels of microbials, metals and inorganic substances.

A plumbing engineer selected from RIOC’s newly formed A&E (Architectural and Engineering) Services committee (a panel of qualified, multi-disciplined architects and engineers) will help RIOC officials interpret the results, draft and consider potential solutions. The water analysis and a downstream review is focused on each specific point of water line connection to each actual fountain or public use spigot or valve.

RIOC announced last Friday that it was immediately shutting down water fountains after concerns, raised by Roosevelt Island resident Frank Farance about potential water source lines, prompted the agency to schedule the analysis.

“As-built drawings” – the final set of drawings a contractor files to document work, changes, construction processes and the location of all elements of the work completed and maintained - were not archived for work at all the parks and playgrounds built in the early 1970s and maintained thereafter. Those drawings document whether the playground fountains are connected to the irrigation lines or domestic water lines in the area. Without the “as-built” drawings for the other drinking fountains on the Island, RIOC cannot be certain about the connection source of all the other fountains.

RIOC had the “as-builts” for Southpoint Park’s drinking fountain from 2010 and can verify that the water is from its domestic line not the park’s irrigation system.

It was revealed during a recent water use disagreement with Wildlife Freedom Foundation (WFF), which runs cat sanctuaries on the Island, that the WFF water hose was using an irrigation line connection for its Southpoint sanctuary. (WFF has since said it was willing to continue to use “not potable,” irrigation water for their Southpoint sanctuary).

In addition to this project, The A&E services committee is expected to help RIOC manage capital projects, infrastructure maintenance and repairs – including the Sportspark renovations, the FDR Hope Memorial, the Firefighters Field comfort station/bathroom construction, future Lighthouse renovations, elevator consultant and Motorgate repairs - more efficiently and simply put, “get things done more quickly,” Rosenthal said....

Good Job By Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department Providing Main Street Water Station For Thirsty Residents During Heat Wave

Good job by the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department providing a water station in front of their Main Street HQ

for thirsty Roosevelt Islanders

to get some relief

during the Heat Wave.

The Blackwell Park Water Fountain also provided

some refreshing relief.

Did you take a dip in the fountain?

Fortunately, the heat wave has subsided and the weather has cooled down a bit.

Roosevelt Island Parent Disappointed That Blackwell Sprinkler Fountain May Not Be Turned On For Summer - Learns Later In Day That Sprinkler Is Now On, Loves The Roosevelt Island Community

Yesterday afternoon, a Roosevelt Island parent sent in the following question:

Heard a rumor the fountains would not be turned on for the children to play in this year because they've been deemed unsafe, and I was wondering if you have any knowledge of this.

I know my boys are checking the fountains every day, looking for that sign of summer.

adding:

I was thinking specifically of the fountain behind Blackwell where the children play and parents gather in the evenings. It is such a great spot on warm evenings....

I replied:

Last April, RIOC VP of Operations Fernando Martinez said that parts were being ordered for the fountains. The Tram Fountain is now working but not Blackwell.

I just sent him an email asking for an update and will let you know what he says.

I did not receive a reply back from RIOC but received this update from the parent a few hours later:

The fountain is on! Lots of parents and kids will be there this evening. Love the RI community.

 Image Of Blackwell Park Water Sprinkler Working Last Evening

Have fun in the fountain and stay cool everyone. Summer is just starting.

Roosevelt Island Kids Using Their Skill and Ingenuity Build Temporary Dam and Pool at Blackwell Park Water Fountain - Fun Times On A Hot Summer Day

Image From Roosevelt Island 360

Special Playground and Water Fountain Correspondent Roosevelt Island 360 updates report from yesterday's hot day excursion into the Blackwell Park sprinkler:

Well the children of Roosevelt Island have successful harnessed their skills as builders and created a temporary dam and pool. The water has topped the pool's edge but they are going for complete containment with the goal of completing filling the cement enclosure with water. These kids are determined and having fun. Soon the pool will drain but their sense of accomplishment and empowerment grows.

and later adds:

Had to end sometime. Maintenance doing their job.

 Image From Roosevelt Island 360

Hot Summer Day On Roosevelt Island - Take The Kids For A Refreshing Dip In Blackwell Park Water Fountain

Roosevelt Island 360 shares this picture from the Blackwell Park Water Fountain

Image From Roosevelt Island 360

and adds:

Always a refreshing park on a hot hot day.

I know there is already a water feature behind Blackwell House at the Water Jets but its shame the old Castle playground location lost its water feature. I recall the reasons were that the water was too close to the new equipment and the water was making the wood chip base too wet but these days any added water play area would be a good thing.

Today we went to Al Lewis but it was too crowded full of kids from the Youth Program camp. I will be honest I know little of how that camp works. The Manhattan Park playground was in use the Day Nursery folks during their reserved time.  And the Octagon playground was too far away. Amusing. Wish the Soccer field bathrooms were closer to the Octagon for young kids but they are reasonably close enough.

Tram Plaza Water Fountain Now Working - Ready To Greet Roosevelt Island Tram Passengers

Roosevelt Island Tram Plaza Fountain

Normally, I would not be very happy to see water spraying from a fountain after being soaked all yesterday from the thunder and lightening rain showers. But I was pleasantly surprised last evening upon getting off the Tram to see the Roosevelt Island Tram Plaza Fountain in operation.

Roosevelt Island Tram Plaza Fountain

The installation of the fountain is just about finished, only a little tweaking here and there before it is ready to greet Roosevelt Island Tram passengers on a full time basis.

Good job by all involved - RIOC and the Hudson/Related Companies. My only suggestion would be that RIOC adds some color to the dancing water spray.

Colored Water Fountain Image From Ebay

It's not the Digital Water Fountain Clock but still very nice.

Roosevelt Island's Delacorte Water Geyser Was Bigger Than Mayor Bloomberg's East River Waterfalls

Delacorte Geyser Image by Judy Siegel.

Curbed:

didn't think public art installations could get more wacky than Long Island City's Floating Tree (a/k/a/ the Bird Condo) or the spooky tents of Roosevelt Island,...

but the NY Sun reports:

Olafur Eliasson, a Danish–Icelandic artist whose installation "The Weather Project" drew 2 million people to the Tate Modern in 2003 and 2004, has designed what will likely be the city's biggest public art project since Christo and Jeanne-Claude's "The Gates": a series of freestanding waterfalls in the East River.

And:

According to a source whom the mayor told about the project, the waterfalls will rise about 60 to 70 feet above the water — more than half as high as the roadway of the Brooklyn Bridge. They will be visible from the area around the Seaport, from Brooklyn Heights, and from the Governors Island Ferry.

Roosevelt Islanders know that for many years there was a similar public art installation in the East River just off the southern tip of Southpoint Park on Roosevelt Island. It was the Delacorte Fountain or Geyser that would shoot a stream of water not 60 or 70 feet, but 400 feet into the air. It was stopped in the late 1980's because some Sutton Place residents feared "liquid wastes" would be thrown in their faces from the spray. Oh my!
I guess it does not matter what gets thrown in the faces of tourists at the South Street Seaport!

Below is NY Sun's version of East River waterfall.


Here is artist Olafur Eliasson 2004 Waterfall project.


And Eliasson's 1998 Reverse Waterfall.


Thanks to Curbed reader Jazz Age for providing links to Olafur Eliasson's work.

UPDATE: 1/16- From Bloomberg News:

The New York City Waterfalls,'' created by artist Olafur Eliasson, will cascade from heights of 90 to 120 feet (27 to 37 meters), illuminated at night and visible from Manhattan's South Street Seaport.

And:

Constructed on scaffolding intended to mimic the look of buildings under construction, its design will be environmentally protective of fish that inhabit the river, and its pumps will be powered from the water current, Eliasson said.

``They are as real as any waterfalls; it is real water falling,'' Eliasson said of the project. ``The scaffolding supports are clearly visible and may be recognized as the same kind that has been used to build New York over the past century.''

With a 400 foot spray, Roosevelt Island's Delacorte Geyser was still bigger than the 120 feet New York City Waterfall cascade!

Also, watch out for the Waterfall spray from liquid waste that is dumped into the East River, particularly after a heavy rain storm. From blogger No Impact Man:

What happens is that both the household sewage from our homes and the storm water drainage from the streets and rooftops of the buildings come together in underground drainage pipes that take it all to wastewater treatment plants (click on the above diagram for a larger version). During a hard rain, however, those underground sewage pipes get overwhelmed and, to keep the sewage from backing up into our sinks and toilets, it gets dumped, untreated, through the CSOs into the rivers and waterways.

Images are from Bloomberg News.

Cooling off on a Hot Summer Day on Roosevelt Island

Family cooling off on a hot summer day in the sprinkler next to Blackwell House. Good job by RIOC in getting this working for the summer.