CURB Research Cited After 4th of July Weekend Sewage Pollution Debacle

by Ryan Palmer - Director of CURB

Late on July 2nd, due to an extreme heat wave, Con Edison reduced power to the Yonkers Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant by 8% causing their mechanical systems to fail. Plant staff were unable to get their backup generators operational for 17 hours, resulting in a whopping 39 million gallons of partially treated (chlorinated) sewage to discharge to the Hudson River.

The incident spurred Westchester County to issue an alert the morning of July 3rd advising the public to avoid all contact with the Hudson River, including boating and fishing, for a wide swath of Westchester County and NYC. In the middle of a heat wave and the start of a holiday weekend known for water recreation, the news was not taken well by local residents, as witnessed in hundreds of social media comments throughout the weekend.

The following week CURB collected and processed dozens of water samples with the help of staff, volunteers, and our Blue Team of Yonkers High School students.

On Monday the 6th, samples from south Yonkers and at CURB showed fecal indicator bacteria levels above the threshold for safe swimming set by the EPA. However, samples from north Yonkers, Hastings, and Dobbs Ferry were showing the river safe for swimming, in just 3 short days after the discharge. The river at CURB would clear up by the 8th. The county advisory was not lifted until the 14th.

CURB’s research was cited in stories by the Journal News and the Riverdale Press, and used by the Yonkers Paddling and Rowing Club to determine when they could resume kayaking programs.

CURB’s lab is the only in Westchester County that routinely monitors fecal bacteria levels in the river and tracks pollution levels after discharge events. This incident, while unfortunate, was a perfect reminder what a valuable resource it is for the community.