NYC Tour Guide Practice Test

Why does steam rise up from vents and other areas of the city's streets?

1. Geothermal activity

2. Underground chemical reactions

3. Water leakage

4. Huge steam plants heating nearby buildings

The correct answer is: Huge steam plants heating nearby buildings

Steam rising up from vents and other areas of the city's streets is primarily due to huge steam plants heating nearby buildings. In New York City, many buildings are connected to district steam heating systems, where steam is produced in centralized plants and then distributed through underground pipes to buildings for heating purposes. When the steam cools down or leaks out of the system, it rises up through vents and grates on the streets, creating the characteristic steam clouds seen throughout the city. Geothermal activity, underground chemical reactions, and water leakage are not common reasons for the steam seen in the streets of NYC.