An engineering marvel is being saved from a Westchester reservoir after being submerged for more than 100 years.

A late 19th century actuator that was used to control the water flow out of the New Croton Dam was scheduled to be recycled until it caught the eye of a local historian.

Now, the Department of Environmental Protection is donating the 1,000-pound artifact to the nonprofit Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct.

"Industrial artifacts are worth a lot. They're worth keeping and letting kids know hundred years from now that hand cranks used to be used. It wasn't all electric motors and computer drives," said Thomas Tarnowsky, of the Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct.

After being sent to a restorer's workshop, the actuator is scheduled to go on display at a new museum on the Old Croton Aqueduct sometime early next year.