The problems with local school overcrowding and the Croton Water Filtration Plant are well-documented and, unfortunately, not going away any time soon.

These stories deserve their own space (and reporters assigned solely to cover them), but we’ve lumped them together because it appears city officials are finally starting to acknowledge the magnitude of the problems. Sadly, it’s unclear what they will be able to do about them.

The filtration plant being built in Van Cortlandt Park by the city’s Department of Environmental Protection is not only gobbling up invaluable green space, but is costing taxpayers billions more dollars than originally estimated.

The latest plan for the completed filtration plant structure and replacement of a piece of the Mosholu Golf Course, which will partially sit on top of the plant, calls for the taking of another chunk green space, this time a section of the heavily-used Sachkerah Woods Playground.

Earlier this year, the city’s Design Commission told the DEP to revise the plan so it wouldn’t intrude on Sachkerah Woods. But the DEP has yet to publicly release its redesign, despite the protests of community watchdogs and activists.

In September, the city comptroller’s office released its audit of the filter plant project’s rising costs. The audit said the DEP could not explain how and why the costs of the project had exploded because the agency couldn’t explain how it came up with its original estimate. This further fueled speculation by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and others that the DEP low-balled the cost estimate in order to have the plant built in the Bronx.

Unfortunately, plant-related construction won’t stop intruding on the community (see cover story) until 2012.

On the other hand, the community would love to see more school construction to help overcome overcrowding that has some students learning in hallways and maintenance closets. 

The good news is that a new 700-seat elementary school is slated to rise on Webster Avenue at 205th Street in place of a former parking lot.

The bad news is there are no other new schools in the pipeline. It’s also unclear if the new school on Webster Avenue will alleviate overcrowding at PS 8 in Bedford Park or the equally cramped PS 56 in Norwood.