How New York City’s Water System Reshaped The Catskills

This Saturday is World Water Day, focused on the importance of fresh water and its essential role in sustaining life.

In New York City, the history of supplying water to the metropolis is not only a story of engineering marvels but also of sacrifice, tragedy, and the reshaping of the Catskills region.

Diane Galusha’s book Liquid Assets: A History of New York City’s Water System chronicles how thousands of people were displaced, homes were relinquished, and entire communities were destroyed to make way for the reservoirs that now provide New York City with its fresh water.

On Saturday, March 22, Galusha will be presenting an illustrated talk “Esopus Dreams: How New York City Reshaped the Catskills” in Pine Hill, New York.

Image: Diane Galusha, author of “Liquid Assets: A History of New York City’s Water System.” (Credit: Credit: Heather Phelps Lipton)