New York City's largest sewage plant announces Valentine's Day tours – and sells out in less than 20 minutes
Most people associate Valentine's Day with flowers and chocolates, or perhaps a nice dinner out. But for a growing population of lovebirds in the Empire State, Valentine's Day is now synonymous with a tour of New York City's largest sewage plant.
Yes, you read that correctly. The Newtown Creek Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility – an industrial plant tasked with removing pollutants from drinking water – has just become the Big Apple's unlikeliest romantic destination.
Located in Brooklyn's Greenpoint neighborhood, Newtown Creek is offering special Valentine's Day tours, which include an overview of its wastewater treatment process and a visit to the facility's observation deck, located 120 feet off the ground on top of its "digester eggs."
The tours are so popular that, when New York City's Department of Environmental Protection put out a press release announcing their grand return this year, the release noted that "reservations are required and will be taken on a first come, first served basis."
As it turns out, they weren't overestimating the plant's popularity. Within just 16 minutes, the tours sold out – proving that just because an activity is unexpected, it doesn't mean it's a "waste." And this Valentine's Day, there's more than one way to go on a date with a tall drink of water.