Rivertowns React Variously to Raw Sewage Threat on the Hudson

Hastings and Ossining are repeating the county's warning about the river but north of Croton Point it's a different story.

By Lanning Taliaferro 5:56pm

Along the Hudson in Westchester, residents and officials are reacting variously about the warnings about raw sewage in the river.

Kayakers won't be able to float out of Hastings this weekend, but they can in Cortlandt. Ossining officials reminded residents that there's no swimming (ever) off its shores, but Croton Point beach in Croton is open.

The issue is three days of discharge from the Harlem sewage treatment plant in New York City, damaged by a fire on Wednesday.

The environmental group Riverkeeper says Westchester County is sending conflicting information regarding the Hudson River's condition. The Parks Department says residents can swim in the Hudson at Croton Point, but the Health Department says residents should avoid the Hudson River altogether.

"This is very confusing for the general public, because you have two different county agencies saying two different things, which is very counterproductive. And that really puts the public at risk," said Hudson River Program Director Phillip Musegaas, the river program director for Ossining-based Riverkeeper.

Riverkeeper says they have a boat in the Hudson that is currently taking water samples off New York City's shore. The group plans on sending the boat to take samples off Westchester's shore later tonight or tomorrow.

Annsville Creek Paddlesport Center and the Atlantic Kayak Tours are open this weekend for their tours. They are not renting kayaks, not because of the sewage, but because the tide is too low anyway.
They check with the New York state Parks Department because they are a state park—and the state department said that the E.coli count is fine, said owner Janice Lozano.

"Since we are north of Croton Point beach and they are open we feel confident to continue our tours but we will continue to monitor," Lozano said. "If they close Croton Point we would be concerned even though we are ten miles north.

We'll continue to monitor and we can all be comfortable knowing it's being monitored by the state."

Lozano also said the sewage seems to be taken east by the current.

With kayak trips cancelled, Hastings recreation officials offered the pool as an alternative: "just a reminder that to beat the heat, you can go to the Chemka Pool! Hours on Friday are 12:30 to 10 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m."

The Village and Town of Ossining sent out email messages to residents, last night and today, warning them of the condition in the Hudson.

Town of Ossining residents also noticed new "no swimming" signs that were placed on Louis Engel Park's beach yesterday. However, Town of Ossining Supervisor Catherine Borgia said the new signs were not in response to the plant incident. She said the signs were replaced because they had become rusty.

The Town and Village of Ossining waterfront looked like a ghost town this afternoon as the sun beat down. Unlike most summer days, no one could be seen taking a stroll down the waterfront path.

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