Village Manager’s Report - 3
“… water, water, everywhere …”
Previously, we reported that the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) ordered several communities, including VBM, to switch water sourcing from the Catskill Aqueduct (CAT) to the New Croton Aqueduct (NCA) within a 36 hour notice. This recent switch over was to enable the NYCDEP to undertake important repairs to the CAT that would extend into early February. We noted that some turnover/turbidity in the system could occur as well as a potential elevated scent of chlorine in various sectors of our water distribution system. Additional chlorine spikes occur when we turn one NYCDEP water source off and prepare in advance to activate the other water source that had been dormant. This is because having one water source dormant even for a short time causes the chlorine to dissipate: that is, no residual chlorine in the system in the dormant source line triggering the need to
flush/cleanse the system.
Separately and periodically, the Westchester County Department of Health (WCDOH) causes to have several water samples taken which, if done during these constant switch overs, could also elevate the HAA5 readings. This has happened before. We are required to and have given written notice to you of this situation.
Late yesterday, the NYCDEP/WCDOH notified us that we would be required to switch BACK from the NCA to the CAT by midnight tonight. The VBM Water Department is taking
action to do that as you read this report. I take this opportunity to share this information with you and to assure you of the purity of the water. I anticipate that as we flush and cleanse the CAT, similar conditions including the potential scent of chlorine as well as slight turbidity/discoloration of the water (especially with the added component of the 24+ rain event we are going through) may occur.
Philip E. Zegarelli
Village Manager
27 January 2012
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