WHITE PLAINS – The US Environmental Protection Agency and the County of Westchester have entered into a consent decree to resolve a civil lawsuit filed in August 2013 alleging that since April 2012 the county failed to operate its Water District No. 1 in compliance with regulations designed to protect the public from cryptosporidium, a parasite that can cause severe gastrointestinal illness.
That water district supplies water to residents of Scarsdale, White Plains, Mount Vernon and Yonkers.
Since April 2012, a significant portion of the drinking water distributed by that district has not been properly treated.
In the consent decree, Westchester admits, acknowledges and accepts responsibility for:
Westchester operates Water District No. 1
Westchester, as operator of Water District No. 1, failed to ensure that the district implemented the water treatment measures of the enhanced water treatment rule
The enhanced water treatment rule, required certain public water systems to implement specific water treatment measures by April 1, 2012
The district did not implement the water treatment measures of the enhanced water treatment rule by April 1, 2012, and to date has not implemented the water treatment measures of the enhanced water treatment rule
According to the consent decree filed Thursday, Westchester will make capital improvements in the district to bring it into compliance with the enhanced water treatment rule. The capital improvements will cost approximately $10 million.
The county will also pay a civil penalty of $1.1 million and the county has agreed to spend an additional $691,000 on supplemental environmental projects for the benefit of residents of the district.
