Filed Under: Environmental Issues | Westchester | Water | Water

Runoff Pollusion

Runoff or non-point source pollution comes from many diffuse sources. When we change the oil in our cars or wash them with detergents, use salt to de-ice sidewalks and roadways, employ fertilizers and pesticides, or fail to clean up pet waste, these pollutants run into storm drains and waterways. This problem is compounded when open spaces are developed, and waterways lose the valuable buffer that protects them from the runoff. This is a crucial issue in Westchester because of the density of its population, the fragility of the Long Island Sound estuary, and the need to protect the water supply in the Croton Watershed.

US Environmental Protection Agency regulations-called Storm Water Phase II Regulations-seek to prevent and reduce runoff pollution. All municipalities must develop storm water plans. Watershed Advisory Committees, comprised of community residents, state and municipal employees, are working to identify problem sites and make recommendations for improvements. Restoration sites have been identified throughout Westchester County but particularly along the Mamaroneck River and the Sheldrake River watershed. The proposed solutions include retrofitting storm drains, creating bio-filter wetlands to filter and treat the runoff before it enters the waterways, stabilizing and enhancing stream banks, planting vegetated buffers, and mowing less often and not so close to the ground. Another important component of the regulations is public education. The Westchester County Department of Planning has undertaken a public relations campaign to educate the public about non-point source pollution and what to do to prevent it.

Another source of pollution in our waters is combined sewer overflows. In urban areas like Yonkers, the sewers "combine" household and industrial waste with rainwater and street runoff. During periods of significant rainfall or when there are power outages, these combined sewers can overflow and introduce raw or partially treated sewage into area waters, causing levels of fecal coliform, dissolved oxygen, and "floatables" to rise. In Yonkers alone there are 26 combined sewer outflows into the waterways.

Because it is crucial to the watershed, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is upgrading wastewater treatment facilities in Westchester County. The DEP's regular maintenance and upgrades to the sewer system and decreased storm water overflow is helping to bring New York's waters into compliance with state and federal standards.

In Westchester, the Citizens Environmental Research Institute issued a report in September 2002 called Sewage in the Suburbs that identifies the raw sewage problems in Westchester County and details the County's remediation program. In May 2003 the Westchester County Department of Planning announced the completion of the first phase of a study of area groundwater. The study's main findings were that municipalities are not monitoring the amount of water being drawn from the aquifer and are not taking sufficient steps-particularly in limiting septic system allowances-to protect groundwater from pollution. The Department of Planning intends to work with local municipalities to begin monitoring usage and pollution in order to maintain the long-term health of the aquifer. An initial step towards the monitoring of water quality was the 2003 establishment of the Citizen's Volunteer Monitoring Program [through the State Department of Environmental Conservation's Safe Drinking Water Act. With the goal of determining the County's baseline water quality, volunteers are gathering data on the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the water in streams, rivers, ponds and lakes throughout the County. Community involvement and education are important components of this program.