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Why are there tanks on the rooftops of New York?


In New York, it’s impossible not to notice these strange wooden cisterns on the roofs of certain buildings. Here is what they are used for.

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A tank on the roof of a building in New York. (Photo DR)

What are the tanks on the roofs of New York for?

  • While traveling through New York, or watching New York pictures, you will quickly notice these small wooden towers placed on the roofs of old buildings of more than 6 floors. These are in fact reservoirs that supply water to the apartments located below, ensuring sufficient pressure.
  • The operation is simple: an electric pump makes it possible to fill the tank as and when another pipe makes it possible to redistribute the water in the stages, by simply using the force of the gravity.

How many tanks are there in New York?

  • New York has a total of nearly 10,000 tanks still in service. You will therefore easily see them on the New York skyline, especially if you walk over the Manhattan Bridge or the Brooklyn Bridge. You will also easily spot them from the top of the observatories, in particular the Empire State Building.
  • And why the tanks are always made of wood rather than metal: quite simply for cost reasons! A wooden tank of nearly 40,000 liters already costs more than $ 30,000… However, metal models are four times more expensive. Wooden tanks should therefore still be used for a long time in New York!
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Keep your eyes peeled for the tanks in New York!

Journalist specializing in tourism, I founded the site © New York in 1999. But my passion for travel obviously does not stop in New York. And that’s how I created a site on London, Rome and the France.—

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