The Westchester County Department of Health does not regulate the Hudson River. That's the central message of a formal statement the department posted Sunday, July 19, more than two weeks after a sewage plant failure sent partially treated waste into the waterway and alarmed residents across the county.
The statement clarifies the department's limited role at a time when Bronxville and Eastchester residents, who fall within the county health department's jurisdiction, have been watching for updates on water quality following the July 3 failure at the Yonkers Joint Wastewater Treatment Facility.
What triggered the statement
A Con Edison load-shedding decision during a heat wave knocked the Yonkers facility offline on Thursday, July 3, sending partially treated sewage into the Hudson. The county posted its first advisory on Sunday, July 5, urging residents from Yonkers north to Briarcliff Manor to avoid swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing.
By Tuesday, July 7, the county maintained the advisory, citing heavy rain that compounded residual effects from the failure. Phillips Manor Beach Club remained closed.
The department's July 19 statement did not announce a date for lifting the recreational advisory.
What the department does — and doesn't — do
The department routinely tests water quality at public beaches and pools across Westchester County, according to the statement. But it does not regulate the Hudson River itself.
The department said it issues Hudson River advisories "only under extraordinary circumstances, such as the release of screened and partially treated wastewater." The July 3 plant failure qualified as one of those extraordinary circumstances.
What "fully treated" wastewater means
The health department drew a distinction between the partially treated discharge from the July 3 failure and normal operations. Wastewater that completes the full treatment process "meets stringent treatment standards and is safe to drink upon discharge," the department stated. It characterized unscreened, untreated sewage as never being present in the river.
River health
The department credited the Clean Water Act and ongoing cleanup efforts for the river's improved condition, calling the Hudson and its surrounding harbor estuary the cleanest they have been in a century. The river is a tidal waterway that naturally flushes and replenishes itself, the statement noted.
What residents should watch for
The department did not provide a schedule for its next water quality update. It encouraged residents to follow any public health advisories that may be issued.
Residents who observe or suspect a sewage discharge can report it to the Westchester County Department of Health at 914-813-5000.
