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Rahul Verma, executive director for the East of Hudson Watershed Corporation, said the New York City Department of Environmental Protection has funded a total of 43 projects across 19 municipalities to reduce phosphorous and improve drinking water in the Croton Watershed. Four of the 43 projects will be carried out in Yorktown.
The biggest targeted area for phosphorus in Yorktown is Sparkle Lake, Verma said, where there will be two separate projects.
“These projects are meant to remove phosphorous, such as parking lot runoffs and impervious surfaces,” Verma said. “We picked some spots where we think we can get some big bang for the buck.”
The projects at Sparkle Lake include capturing run off water and re-routing it into a filtration system, then routing it back into Sparkle Lake. The treatment system would be underground. The other projects will be carried out at Yorktown Police Department headquarters and at Railroad Park.
The Police Department project involves routing storm- water runoff into detention basin with a forebay that will filtrate into the ground. Verma said Chief Daniel McMahon expressed concern that building a pond would reduce the department’s possibility for expansion in the future. At Railroad Park, Verma and company will retrofit an existing area use a pocket pond system.
In total, the Verma estimates that these projects should reduce phosphorus by about 13 kilograms per year, or 28.6 pounds.
Town Board members had no objection to the projects after Verma’s presentation Tuesday night.
“If I’m not spending taxpayer money, I’m good,” said council member Dave Paganelli.
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