2026 Water Quality Sampling Season Begins
by Katie Lamboy Roman - Educator & Water Quality Specialist
Did you know that the Saw Mill River, a tributary to the Hudson River that connects in downtown Yonkers, is a waterway that is deeply impacted by sewage infrastructure issues?
This waterway, like many in Westchester county, has been studied for upwards of 10 years for the fecal indicator bacteria enterococcus. This indicator bacteria is a prime species found in waterways impacted by fecal waste contamination. One of the major sewage trunk lines that transports the sewage from over 125,000 Westchester residents runs underground alongside the Saw Mill River. The local rivers are impacted the most when rain water enters into local sanitary sewer lines (often referred to as inflow) and excess water seeps into piped through cracking aged pipes and joints (often referred to as infiltration).
Photo Credit: Envirosight
Excess water entering into sewage infrastructure through inflow and infiltration can also leach materials present within the pipe out into the local environment. Approximately 16 sites along the Saw Mill River are sampled on a monthly basis throughout the summer months and are analyzed for the amount of enterococcus bacteria presence. Only one of the sites produced a sample that would pass the EPA standard for safe bacteria levels for human contact within the 2025 sampling season (see chart below, result of 20 MPN on 9/11/25). Although this fact is accepted as the norm for this waterway, it is no less alarming.
Through education and outreach we hope that this data will motivate local stakeholders to become involved in improvement efforts that support the Saw Mill River. The river is home to many species of fish, invertebrates, and birds who count on a protected environment to thrive and survive. The river and its surrounding areas are an important leisure and recreational space for people too! Looking to get involved soon? Groundwork Hudson Valley, a local CURB partner group, are hosting their annual Great Saw Mill River cleanup effort on Saturday May 16 which helps support these efforts of a better Saw Mill River.
Looking to get more involved in CURB’s efforts? Sign up for the monthly stakeholder report newsletter, learn more about this program, and volunteer to collect samples along the Saw Mill River – by checking out our Water Quality Research page.
