Aug. 29, 2012 -- A boil water advisory issued Monday by the Westchester County Department of Health for southwest Yonkers will remain in effect at least through Friday. From 50,000 to 70,000 people are in the affected area.
The boil water advisory was issued as a precaution to protect from potential contamination caused by ground water infiltration into water mains as a result of the reduction in water main pressure caused by a water main break.
The City of Yonkers has completed repairs to the water main and concrete poured around the pipe is expected to harden by this afternoon. After that, water will be systematically and slowly flushed from the mains through some fire hydrants in the area. Thursday morning, after that flushing is completed, the Westchester County Department of Health and the Yonkers Water Bureau will take water samples from 21 locations throughout the affected area. Those samples will be tested at the Westchester County Laboratory in Valhalla and at the City of Yonkers Bureau of Water's Laboratory for coliform bacteria.
There is a 24-hour turnaround time for the bacteriological testing, so results should be available sometime on Friday. The county health department will lift the advisory once sampling results are satisfactory.
Residents and businesses in the area south of Ashburton Avenue to the New York City line between the Hudson River and the Saw Mill River Parkway are strongly advised to continue to boil their water before drinking it or using it to prepare food, as a precaution.
A boil water advisory means that residents in the affected area are strongly advised to boil all tap water at a rolling boil for a minimum of one minute prior to drinking it or using it to prepare food, wash dishes by hand or brush teeth. The advisory does not extend to bathing, washing clothes or using a dishwasher.
Restaurants, delis, bodegas and all food service establishments in the affected area must continue to boil water before serving it or using it to prepare food.
The water main break occurred on Monday when a state contractor working on the Saw Mill River Parkway accidentally broke through a 30-inch City of Yonkers water main that runs under the Saw Mill River Parkway near the McLean Avenue exit in Yonkers.
Updates will be provided by the City of Yonkers as they become available.