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New York Hot Tub

Short answer: After the January 25, 2026 winter storm and days of below-freezing temperatures, the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) started eight snow melters on January 27, 2026, its first use of them since 2021. Officials call the machines 'hot tubs'.

Dump trucks haul piled snow to fixed melter sites in all five boroughs, where front-end loaders tip it in half-ton buckets into heated water. DSNY says each machine melts 60 to 120 tons an hour. The water is kept at about 38 °F, enough to melt snow while controlling flow, and drains into sewers the city's Department of Environmental Protection approved. In DSNY's own words: 'We bring snow to the melters – NOT the melters to the snow.'

VideoWrite-up4 sources

In collections:Engineering Oddities

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What should you know about New York Hot Tub?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Each DSNY snow melter melts 60 to 120 tons of snow an hour.

    DD-702-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit C (How fast)

  2. The water in the 'hot tubs' is kept at about 38 °F.

    DD-702-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit D (Not so hot)

Video transcript: New York Hot Tub: Where City Snow Goes to Melt

DID YOU KNOW? New York City has used large mobile snow melters, essentially giant heated tubs mounted on trucks, to dispose of large snow accumulations after major winter storms. Instead of hauling snow to distant dumping sites, sanitation crews load it into these melters, where diesel burners heat water inside the unit and rapidly melt the snow into runoff that is filtered and discharged into the sewer system. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 21.4s Reel ·

Video coming soonNew York Hot Tub · Instagram Reel
New York Hot Tub: Where City Snow Goes to Melt Instagram Reel · · 21.4s

The write-up

Where city snow goes to melt. Each of NYC's eight snow melters handles 60-120 tons an hour.

  1. Exhibit A

    Why melt it

    After the January 25, 2026 storm, temperatures stayed below freezing for days, so piled snow wasn't going anywhere and was blocking bus stops, sidewalks and bike lanes.

  2. Exhibit B

    Snow comes to the tubs

    DSNY parks the melters at fixed sites, one or more in each borough, and dump trucks bring the snow to them. Front-end loaders tip it in half-ton buckets.

  3. Exhibit C

    How fast

    Officials say each of the eight machines melts 60 to 120 tons an hour, and they planned to run them for a couple of weeks.

  4. Exhibit D

    Not so hot

    The 'hot tub' is more like a cold plunge. CBS reported the water is held at about 38 °F, warm enough to melt snow while controlling the water flow.

  5. Exhibit E

    Down the drain

    The meltwater goes into specific sewers approved by the Department of Environmental Protection. NBC reported it was the first use of the melters since 2021.

Questions people ask about New York Hot Tub

How many snow melters did NYC run in January 2026?

Eight.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (How fast) · NY1 (Jan 28, 2026): NYC rolls out snow-melting operations as cleanup continues; CBS New York: Here's how NYC is using 'hot tubs' to dig out from the winter storm

How much snow can each melter handle per hour?

60 to 120 tons an hour.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (How fast) · NY1 (Jan 28, 2026): NYC rolls out snow-melting operations as cleanup continues; CBS New York: Here's how NYC is using 'hot tubs' to dig out from the winter storm

About how warm is the water in the 'hot tub'?

About 38 °F.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Not so hot) · CBS New York: Here's how NYC is using 'hot tubs' to dig out from the winter storm

Where does the meltwater go?

Sewers approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Down the drain) · NY1 (Jan 28, 2026): NYC rolls out snow-melting operations as cleanup continues; NBC New York (Jan 28, 2026): Snow hot tubs are being used to melt NYC's snow. How do they work?

When had the melters last been used before 2026?

2021, according to NBC New York.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Down the drain) · NY1 (Jan 28, 2026): NYC rolls out snow-melting operations as cleanup continues; NBC New York (Jan 28, 2026): Snow hot tubs are being used to melt NYC's snow. How do they work?

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. How many snow melters did NYC run in January 2026?

    1. 2
    2. 5
    3. 8
    4. 20
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. 8 Eight. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (How fast) · NY1 (Jan 28, 2026): NYC rolls out snow-melting operations as cleanup continues; CBS New York: Here's how NYC is using 'hot tubs' to dig out from the winter storm

  2. How much snow can each melter handle per hour?

    1. 6-12 tons
    2. 60-120 tons
    3. 600-1,200 tons
    4. 1 ton
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. 60-120 tons 60 to 120 tons an hour. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (How fast) · NY1 (Jan 28, 2026): NYC rolls out snow-melting operations as cleanup continues; CBS New York: Here's how NYC is using 'hot tubs' to dig out from the winter storm

  3. About how warm is the water in the 'hot tub'?

    1. About 38 °F
    2. About 100 °F
    3. About 212 °F
    4. About 0 °F
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. About 38 °F About 38 °F. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Not so hot) · CBS New York: Here's how NYC is using 'hot tubs' to dig out from the winter storm

  4. Where does the meltwater go?

    1. Approved city sewers
    2. The Hudson River directly
    3. Trucks to New Jersey
    4. Central Park
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Approved city sewers Sewers approved by the Department of Environmental Protection. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Down the drain) · NY1 (Jan 28, 2026): NYC rolls out snow-melting operations as cleanup continues; NBC New York (Jan 28, 2026): Snow hot tubs are being used to melt NYC's snow. How do they work?

  5. When had the melters last been used before 2026?

    1. 2021
    2. 2010
    3. 1996
    4. Never
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 2021 2021, according to NBC New York. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Down the drain) · NY1 (Jan 28, 2026): NYC rolls out snow-melting operations as cleanup continues; NBC New York (Jan 28, 2026): Snow hot tubs are being used to melt NYC's snow. How do they work?

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "New York Hot Tub." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-702, last updated Feb 28, 2026. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/new-york-hot-tub/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/new-york-hot-tub/ · Last updated

Markdown version

Cite a single fact by its ID, for example DD-702-F01 → https://detailenjoyer.com/case/new-york-hot-tub/#DD-702-F01

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