Elected officials, labor leaders, the project engineer, the construction contractor, and other stakeholders joined Westchester Joint Water Works (WJWW) Sept. 26 at a groundbreaking ceremony for its 30-million gallons per day water filtration plant to be built in the Town/Village of Harrison. WJWW is a nonprofit public benefit corporation responsible for maintaining a drinking water system to serve up to 100,000 Westchester County residents.
WJWW’s Board of Trustees on Aug. 12 approved a $172,761,500 contract with Yonkers Contracting Company Inc. to
build the 80,000-square-foot Rye Lake filtration plant. The plant will ensure that residents’ tap water will continue to meet all drinking water standards, including for levels of haloacetic acids (HAA5), and is a proactive step in addressing changing source water quality posed by climate change.
“This is a great day for WJWW, for our community, and for all who depend on safe, clean drinking water,” said Jaine Elkind Eney, Chair of the WJWW Board of Trustees and Supervisor of the Town of Mamaroneck. “This moment has been more than 20 years in the making and from the very beginning, our number-one priority has continued to be the
health and safety of our residents. Today’s groundbreaking is another step in ensuring that safety for our residents now, and for generations to come.”
Supervisor Eney thanked the Westchester County Board of Legislators, which last year approved a land exchange with
WJWW for a 13.4-acre parcel at the Westchester County Airport in the Town/Village of Harrison upon which the $172.8 million plant will be built.
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said: “A lot had to happen to get us to this day. For nearly two decades, the people of Westchester Joint Water Works navigated different administrations, countless conversations, and community concerns — always with one goal in mind: protecting the water and the health of more than 100,000 residents. This project reminds us that while it doesn’t come easy, when labor, legislators, professionals, and community voices all come together, we can achieve great things. Congratulations to the Westchester Joint Water Works and all the partners who made this possible. And we will continue working side by side with our colleagues in government, with labor, and with all of you to safeguard the health and future of Westchester County.”
Joining Supervisor Eney were Village of Mamaroneck Mayor Sharon Torres, Vice Chair of WJWW Board of Trustees, and Paul Kutzy, P.E., Manager/CEO, WJWW. In addition to County Executive Jenkins, also in attendance were
Westchester Board of Legislators members Nancy Barr (District 6), Margaret Cunzio (District 3), Catherine Parker (District 7), Erika Pierce (District 2), and Shanae Williams (District 16); Hugh Greechan, Jr., P.E., Westchester
County Commissioner of Public Works & Transportation; Paul V. Rush P.E., Deputy Commissioner, NYC-DEP, Bureau of Water Supply; Jeff Loughlin, President, Building and Construction Trades Council of Westchester and
Putnam Counties; Eileen Feldman, P.E., Vice President, Hazen and Sawyer; and Carl Petrillo, President, Yonkers Contracting Co.
