What is the smoke on NYC Streets?

Con Edison’s Steam Operations is a district heating system which takes steam produced by steam generating stations and carries it under the streets to heat and cool buildings and businesses in Manhattan. Some New York businesses and facilities also use the steam for cleaning and disinfection.

Why does New York have steam coming out of the ground?

Actually, much of the steam rising from the ground isn’t what is generated by the company. Rather, it’s vapor from when water, or other sources of liquid, falls onto the pipes and evaporates. It’s also why, when you walk past the steam coming from the manhole covers, it’s not scalding hot.

Why does steam come out of streets?

This is simply because the sewers are warm. After all, they are transporting water that was just in warm homes and buildings. That heat rises up out of the sewer and turns into steam when it meets the cooler temperatures of the air. Big increases in steam are often from increases in precipitation.

Why is smoke coming out of the ground?

Smoke will escape from the system where there is an open break in the line. Smoke might rise from the ground in your yard, manhole lids, vents on house roofs, cleanouts and from underneath houses if poor plumbing exists.

Why does the ground smoke?

This is because of the heating of the earth’s surface during the day. The air just above the surface becomes heated and expands. In turn, it begins to rise, since it is lighter, resulting in vertical movement in the atmosphere. Any smoke still in the air will drop back down to the ground.

Why do New York manholes smoke?

Most of the time, the steam you see is the condensation that results from cooler water, like rain, falling through manhole covers coming into contact with the extremely hot pipes below street level. You’re more likely to experience this in cooler temperatures than in warmer ones.

What does NYC do with its sewage?

Every time it rains in New York, millions of gallons of sewage-laced stormwater flows into the city’s waterways. Instead of being diverted to a wastewater treatment plant, what goes down your toilet ends up floating along rivers, canals, beaches, and waterfront parks.