Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
A Text Alert Will Tell You When You Can Flush Your Toilet Without Poisoning Newtown Creek
By
Lauren Evans
Published Apr 3, 2014
Modified Apr 3, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Lauren Evans
Published Apr 3, 2014
Modified Apr 3, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
In a world where a person can sit on a moving train holding both a smart phone and a tablet, it's easy to assume that drainage technology has advanced to a place where one can flush a toilet, rain or shine, without sending its contents shooting into an already problematic body of water. Well, assumptions lead to mistakes, don't they—is it pouring outside? Are you flushing your toilet without a care in the world? According to the Newtown Creek Alliance, you're blowing it. Here's how:
When the weather is dry, the plant has capacity to fully treat (to Clean Water Act standards) 310 million gallons per day and during weather, the plant can partially treat up to 700 mgd. When wet weather conditions exceed this capacity, the excess combined sewage and stormwater is released directly to Newtown Creek. This is called Combined Sewer Overflow. CSO damages the Newtown Creek ecosystem, and creates hazardous conditions for people on the water due to the pathogens that come along with untreated sewage. The area that contributes CSO to the creek is the green watershed area above.
"But what does this mean for me?"
Our local government is putting a lot some effort into making Newtown Creek a place where we can once again sail and breathe near without the risk of contracting Giardia. Do your part by not dumping your feces into it during heavy rains! The Alliance will help you navigate these complex, fetid waters in the following ways:
1. Safe to Flush Meter. Because the creek has CSO outfalls from both the Newtown Creek and Bowery Bay sewersheds, we created this simple gauge to let citizens know when their toilet is flushing straight into our waterways. It is shown on the homepage of our website and here:
2. Twitter Alert. Follow us on twitter @newtowncreek. Using the hashtag #CSOalert, tweets are delivered during and after our system is triggered, notifying waterway users of how long it has been since sewage discharge. We also encourage folks to use #CSOalert to tag any photos that document actual CSO activity.
3. Text (SMS) Alert. Users can send a text message to our CSOalert line at 646-576-7448 to see if CSO activity is happening or when the last event was. Text the word ‘status’ for updates; ‘join’ to subscribe for automatic alerts and ‘leave’ to unsubscribe.
Want more? Head over to dontflush.me, where you can watch a mesmerizing video of poisonous runoff lapping gently against the concrete shore of Maspeth Creek.
[h/t Brokelyn]
Tagged
newtown creek
text alerts
toilet flushing rules to live by
Lauren Evans
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Residents, lawmakers warned for months of potential for deadly ICE activity in Marble Hill
A Target store parking lot has become a focal point for activists over ICE’s presence in the neighborhood.
By
David Brand
Published Oct 9, 2026 at 4:36 p.m. ET
Manhattan DA argues judge shouldn't dismiss state charges against Luigi Mangione
He pleaded guilty to separate charges in federal court this summer.
By
Samantha Max
News
Manhattan DA argues judge shouldn't dismiss state charges against Luigi Mangione
He pleaded guilty to separate charges in federal court this summer.
By
Samantha Max
Feds blame NYC's sanctuary policies for violent ICE arrest in Marble Hill
By
Arya Sundaram
Attorneys argue man shot by ICE in Marble Hill should be released
By
Ben Feuerherd
,
Ryan Kost
,
Samantha Max
and
Arya Sundaram
Pencils down: NYC lawmakers want to switch back to paper tests as state mandates screens
By
Jessica Gould
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .