Northern Westchester  Watershed Committee

The Northern Westchester Watershed Committee (NWWC) is Westchester’s forum to oversee implementation of the historic Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).  It is an avenue within which the 12 Westchester County municipalities that have land area within the New York City Watershed can discuss issues related to watershed protection and local involvement.  Any program or activity undertaken to protect drinking water quality for New York City’s residents has a direct impact on each of these twelve communities.

Membership:  The NWWC is composed of the chief elected official (or their appointed designee) of each of the twelve municipalities.  The Westchester County Department of Planning serves as facilitator for this forum and staffs NWWC meetings.

Meeting Schedule:  The committee meets on the second Tuesday of each month, unless otherwise decided.

The Croton Watershed Wastewater Diversion Study

The 1997 Memorandum of Agreement provided funding to Westchester County to undertake a study to determine whether it is technically feasible and financially practical to construct a project or projects to divert wastewater presently discharging to the Croton Watershed to areas outside the New York City Watershed.  This study was conducted by Savin Engineers, PC and was concluded in December 1998.

The Findings of the Westchester County Croton Wastewater Study are:

  • It is feasible to divert wastewater from areas within the Croton and Kensico watersheds to a location outside of the New York City watershed.

  • A total of 30 local wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been identified within the Croton Watershed in Westchester County with a total average daily flow of approximately 4.7 million gallons per day (mgd).

  • A total of 31 Focus Areas (areas currently not sewered or served by WWTPs) have been identified with a total average daily flow of approximately 2.1mgd.

  • The total flow considered for diversion is approximately 6.8 mgd.

  • Four feasible diversion alternatives have been identified.

  • Generally, an alternative involves the construction of approximately 85 miles of local collector sewers, 65 miles of interceptor sewers, 88 pumping stations (38 interceptor pumping stations, 20 Focus Area pumping stations and 30 WWTP pumping stations) and either the construction of new WWTPs or the expansion of existing county owned WWTPs.

  • The costs associated with complete diversion of all 30 WWTPs and 31 Focus Areas ranges from $400 million to $474 million dollars.

  • Each alternative can be implemented in a sequence of phases over a period of time.

  • Implementation of any of the diversion alternatives will result in a reduction in the phosphorus loading of an estimated 1,145 kg/yr.

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East of Hudson Water Quality Investment Program

The Memorandum of Agreement provided $38 million dollars to Westchester County by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection to support the implementation of water quality investments in the Croton and Kensico watersheds.

The following projects are eligible for funding:

  • Sewage diversion project;

  • Water Quality Measures Identified in the Comprehensive Croton System Water Quality Protection Plan;

  • Rehabilitation or Replacement of Septic Systems that are Failing or Likely to Fail in Certain Areas;

  • Community Septic Systems and Related Infrastructure in Areas of Existing Development to Address Existing or Anticipated Water Quality Problems;

  • Stormwater Best Management Practices (bmps) at Existing Concentrated Areas of Impervious Surfaces to the Extent the BMPs are Necessary to Correct or Reduce Existing Erosion and/or Pollution;

  • New or Upgraded Sand & Salt Storage Facilities;

  • Sewer Collection Systems or Sewer Extensions to Serve Areas with Existing Water quality Problems;

  • Streambank Stabilization & Protection Measures;

  • Any Other Purpose Approved by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

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Watershed Rules and Regulations to Protect New York City’s Drinking Water Supply

The Memorandum of Agreement contains updated Watershed Rules and Regulations which are designed to ensure the continued, long-term protection of New York City’s drinking water supply and minimize, to the extent feasible, adverse impacts on the Watershed communities.  The Watershed Regulations are designed to reduce current contaminants and prevent the introduction of new sources of contamination to the drinking water supply.  The Watershed Regulations work in conjunction with existing federal and state regulations and provide additional regulations tailored to the watershed area itself.

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The Land Acquisition Program

The Watershed Land Acquisition Program allows New York City to acquire fee title to, or conservation easements on, water quality sensitive, undeveloped land from willing sellers.  Fair market value will be paid for all property and New York City will continue to pay property taxes.  Property will not be acquired by eminent domain.  The Land Acquisition Program also includes a community review process for all property under consideration for acquisition. 

To learn more about Westchester County's Open Space Policy related to land acquisitions, click here.

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The Watershed Protection and Partnership Council

A Watershed Protection and Partnership Council (WPPC) was created through the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) as a permanent, regional forum to aid in the long-term protection of drinking water quality and the economic vitality of the watershed communities.  The Council represents a broad-based, diverse group of interests that share the common goals of protecting and enhancing the environmental integrity of the Watershed as well as the social and economic vitality of the watershed communities.  The Council will also be a forum for discussion and review of water quality concerns and related Watershed issues, and will make recommendations on future actions to be taken by the City, federal and State governments to enhance watershed protection.

Most importantly, however, the Council will have dispute resolution authority to prevent future differences from festering and spilling over to the courts.  The parties to the MOA have agreed to present all future disagreements to the WPPC for resolution before resorting to the more historical means of problem solving.

The Watershed Agricultural Program

EAST-OF-HUDSON WHOLE FARM PLANNING INITIATIVE

The Watershed Agricultural Program is a joint venture by New York City and the upstate farmers to protect the city’s drinking water sources from agricultural sources of pollution while maintaining the economic viability of farming in the region.  In partnership with the Farmer-led watershed Agricultural Council, the city has funded a voluntary program of environmental review, pollution prevention planning and implementation on 300 farms in the Cat/Del system.  Three “Demonstration Farms” have been chosen for the Croton System.  Farmers are invited to work closely with a team of resource conservationists, agronomists, and civil engineers to develop “Whole Farm Plans”  that incorporate the goals and practices of pollution prevention into their farm operations.  A Croton Watershed Agricultural Committee has recently been formed to administer Whole Farm Planning in the Croton watershed. A full East-of-Hudson Whole Farm Planning Initiative is currently being developed as the vehicle to design and implement Best Management Practices to preserve and protect water quality in the Croton system.

Link to the Watershed Agricultural Council - www.nycwatershed.org 

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