Hudson River advisory issued after Yonkers sewage treatment system failure
According to Westchester County officials, the facility experienced a complete power failure after Con Edison reduced electricity service during the extreme heat.
A power failure at the Yonkers Wastewater Recovery Facility prompted officials to issue a precautionary advisory Friday urging residents to avoid some recreational activities on the Hudson River.
According to Westchester County officials, the facility experienced a complete power failure after Con Edison reduced electricity service during the extreme heat. The county initially advised residents to avoid recreational use of the Hudson River while the situation was assessed.
However, officials later announced that the Yonkers facility was fully operational again as of 1:45 p.m. Friday.
In a joint statement, the New York State Department of Health and Department of Environmental Conservation advised residents to avoid swimming or other activities involving full-body immersion at closed beaches. The agencies said other recreational activities with limited water contact, including boating, kayaking and fishing, remain safe.
This is for the following communities: Yonkers, Hastings-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow and Briarcliff Manor. Additionally, the Phillipse Manor Beach Club remains closed until further notice.
This advisory, however, did disrupt some events that were scheduled to happen on the river during a busy 4th of July weekend.
Tara Scheller, owner of Rivertowns SUP & Yoga, said she had to cancel multiple paddleboarding classes planned for the holiday weekend.
"Obviously, having a clean river is super important, and safety is our number one thing, you know, having a safe time and having fun is our top priority," said Scheller.
Experts still urge that people follow all local guidance, such as beach closures. They add that this incident should not impact other Hudson River activities.
