Community Corner

UPDATE: Sewage Main Break in Ossining; Rockland Adds Health Warning

Boaters and swimmers are warned to avoid contact with the Hudson River.

Ossining village officials are rushing to repair a sewer main break that's sending raw sewage down the Sing Sing Kill into the Hudson River.

As a result, according to spokeswoman Caren Halbfinger, the Westchester County Department of Health has notified area marinas and boating clubs and has advised Croton Point Park Beach and Philipse Manor Beach to close today. The Rockland County Health Department has also issued a warning that residents should avoid direct contact with the Hudson River.

Rockland County health officials have also issued a warning to avoid the Hudson. 

Find out what's happening in Ossining-Croton-On-Hudsonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here is the Westchester County press release:

"The Westchester County Department of Health was notified of the incident today and also advises people who use the Hudson River waters for recreational purposes, namely swimmers, boaters, windsurfers and kayakers, to avoid direct contact with the Hudson River until further notice.  The Health Department is collecting beach water quality samples today and will issue an updated advisory based on sample results received tomorrow.

Find out what's happening in Ossining-Croton-On-Hudsonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The village of Ossining today reported that a fallen tree had caused a break in an 18-inch sewer main, which is discharging sewage into Killbrook Creek, near the intersection of Water Street and Central Avenue in Ossining, about a quarter mile from the Hudson River. The health department estimates 1.5 million gallons per day of sewage is discharging due to the break. The village is adding chlorine solution upstream to provide partial treatment of the sewage before it is discharged to the Hudson River, and is working to repair the break.

The health department will continue to monitor the situation and respond as needed.  

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Department of Health, and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection have been notified.

For more information on the status of repairs to the sewer main break, contact the Village of Ossining."

 

Here is the text of the Rockland County warning:


"Pomona, NY - As a result of a sewer main break in the Village of Ossining, in Westchester County, New York, the Rockland County Department of Health advises residents to avoid direct contact with the Hudson River until further notice. Due to problems accessing the broken main, it has not yet been repaired and there is an ongoing release of approximately 1.5 million gallons per day of untreated sewage into a direct tributary of the Hudson River. Health risks posed by such a discharge of sewage has prompted the Westchester County Health Department to close local bathing beaches, notify marinas, and warn residents to avoid direct contact with the Hudson River.
As a result of the proximity of the release and the tidal nature of the Hudson River, the river could be impacted in the vicinity of Rockland County as well. Therefore, the Rockland County Department of Health advises swimmers, windsurfers, kayakers, boaters and fishermen to avoid the waters of the Hudson River until further notice. We will maintain close communication with Weschester County and New York State officials, and will lift the advisory as soon as information is available to demonstrate that risks associated with this release have been mitigated."

Stay tuned to Patch for more on this breaking story.

 

 

 


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