WPCNR WATER REPORT. By John F. Bailey. September 8, 2005: The Department of Environmental Conservation and the County Department of Health have ignored dangerous bacteria levels contaminating Silver Lake for the last six weeks. Water containing bacteria levels high enough to close a beach has been flowing down into Long Island Sound. DEC and the County Department of Health attributed the cause to stormwater sewage run off from the July 18 downpour that hit White Plains. Neither agency has taken a proactive role in locating the source of the bacteria, nor did they alert the public of the dangerous bacteria levels of the contaminated water.
SILVER LAKE LIBERTY PARK, LABOR DAY. Fence installed by City prevents citizens from approaching the contaminated water. The city awaits lab tests to see if bacteria levels remain high or have gone down. Photo, WPCNR News.
The City of White Plains fenced off the Liberty Park waterfront of Silver Lake, ending water boat activities for the season at the city’s three-year old water recreation area, according to City Executive Officer Paul Wood, to protect residents. The city awaits latest lab tests to determine if the bacteria level is still high, and whether it is safe to hold the city’s 9-11 Memorial there Sunday.
The fencing, Wood said, was to prevent citizens from touching or entering the lake which has consistently tested, Wood reports, at a bacteria level in the water of 1,600 MPN for the last six weeks.
The bacteria level according to the Westchester County Department of Health and the Department of Public Works would necessitate the closing of the lake to the public if it was used as a bathing beach. Wood said the park would remain closed to the public until the city deemed it safe. The Mayor, speaking to the City of White Plains, concluding the Common Council meeting Tuesday evening, said that Liberty Park adjacent to the algae fouled lake would be the scene of the city’s September 11 Memorial festival.
North End of Silver Lake from Harrison side. Labor Day. Photo by WPCNR News.
Paul Wood announced the city fencing decision this week, was to keep citizens safe from the polluted waters. Wood said there still is no explanation for the contamination at this time. “We don’t know,” he said. “An odor was detected. We shut the park immediately (July 28) because we didn’t know what it was.”
The Department of Environmental Conservation spokesperson, Wendy Rosenbach, told WPCNR last week, that DEC’s Tarrytown water quality office is aware of the lake situation, but this may only be because WPCNR contacted that office first, and they referred WPCNR to Ms. Rosenbach. City Hall spokesperson David Maloney informed White Plains last Friday the city had not informed the DEC of the Silver Lake algae and odor condition.
Rosenbach told WPCNR that a person in that DEC Tarrytown office, Lenny attributes the cause to stormwater overflow into the lake and geese droppings.
Mr. Wood told WPCNR that the geese arrived at Silver Lake only after the park had been closed to the public for a few weeks. Wood told WPCNR last week the Department of Recreation and Parks was going to spray the Liberty Park area with a goose repellent to discourage the geese from loitering. (In a related development the City of Montclair, New Jersey, has found great success by posting a statute of a coyote in the middle of a town water park, which has lowered the geese population from 98 to 5).
West Side of Silver Lake (White Plains side) as seen from the Harrison waterfront Labor Day. Major algae bloom is on the Harrison side of the lake as of Labor Day. The Bloom, looking very similar to Blue-Green Algae, a sometimes toxic bloom, that is “alerted” in the State of Vermont, has been growing since July 18, when a sewage like stench was reported. Photo by WPCNR News.
Wood said the sewage-like odor was detected the day after the rain storm of July 18, and Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti, conducted tests on the lake, which showed the high bacteria readings. Nicoletti smelling the alleged sewage, immediately closed the park The most recent testing was drawn one week ago and the city apparently still awaits those test results from the County Lab in Grasslands.
Asked if the DEC was concerned that the high level bacteria testing water was flowing into Long Island Sound, the DEC spokesperson Rosenbach said it was a small lake (12 acres). Asked if the Department of Environmental Conservation tested other tributaries, including Silver Lake, flowing into the Mamaroneck River for bacteria, and when and what level of bacteria became an environmental concern, considering the nitrogen problems Long Island Sound is having, Rosenbach said she would check to find what the DEC procedure was to monitor bacteria levels of streams and lakes flowing into the Mamaroneck Avenue River. The dieoff of lobsters in Long Island Sound, a study, funded by Congresswoman Nita Lowey found runoff of West Nile spray to be a major cause of the lobster dieoff in the Sound.
However, an algae bloom as of Monday, Labor Day, still covered approximately 40% of the lake at the North and South shores and extends approximately 10 to 15 feet out from shore on the Western White Plains shore and a similar distance on the eastern shore in Harrison, and the northern end of the lake.
Brian Murphy of the City of White Plains Department of Public Works meeting with Paul Wood and WPCNR by phone said told WPCNR Tuesday, August 30, that the latest DPW tests of the water quality, performed by the City Department of Public Works, showed a Mean Probable Number of 1,600 bacteria content, which he said is seven times greater than the level (200-300 MPN) at which the Department of Health would close a beach to swimmers. For reference, the toxicity of the waters flooding New Orleans today are 10 times the level considered unsafe, so this was very contaminated water in Silver Lake.
South End of Silver Lake, Labor Day. Photo by WPCNR News.
Murphy said another test was conducted Tuesday, August 30 and results were expected to be in from the county Department of Labs within 48 hours. But as of Wednesday, September 7, those results apparently were not in yet, because City Hall did not have any new news on the Silver Lake water condition after the Common Council meeting Tuesday night.
Murphy said the level of bacteria has remained constant at 1,600 since the testing began, meaning the lake waters which flow into the Mamaroneck River and travel eventually to Long Island Sound, could conceivably be much higher. Murphy explained the Department of Labs scale only goes to 1,600. The PH level of the lake, The Mayor’s Office said was 7.9 which they explained was slightly alkaline. (As acidity of the lake increases, the PH reading descends, with 1 being very high acidity which kills all fish.)
Thomasine Mastrantone, a spokesperson for the County Department of Health said the department, as a matter of policy did not monitor and was not concerned about bacteria levels or algal levels in bodies of water that were not public beaches.
Ms Mastrantone said the Department conducted daily dye tests over the last month and “there was no evidence of any sewage in the water now. The algae that is naturally occurring is a normal thing that happens at any water source. We’ve been (dye) testing since mid-July. We believe it was caused by overflow of rainwater. Sewage overflowed from the manhole (on the Harrison side).” She said she was not sure whether the sewage was of human origin, “I don’t know if they tested what kind of stuff came out. There is no evidence of any sewage in the water right now (Tuesday, August 30.)”
She attributed the algae bloom to the heavy rains and storm water overflow of July 18. She did not have the identity of the kind of algae it was.
The Westchester County Department of Environmental Facilities spokesperson Anthony Zabrinski, said that the department did not monitor Westchester lakes unless the contamination involved sewage. Asked what could have caused the algae bloom, Zabrinkski said he did not know, and did not know whether the heavy rains had contributed to acidic build-up in the water.
No Benchmark.
Brian Murphy of the White Plains DPW, speaking to WPCNR, last week, said that there was no baseline measurement ever taken of lake water quality when the city took over the lake in 2002. The readings taken after the algal blooms appeared, (along with a pungent raw eggs sewagelike stink) were the first water quality readings ever taken by the DPW on Silver Lake). The readings showed the lake was contaminated within a week after July 18. Murphy confirmed that when the city took possession of the park they never tested the water.
Labor Day Afternoon. Flow into Mamaroneck River all but slowed to a trickle and WPCNR detected an odor. Photo by WPCNR News.
The algae has been growing and expanding on the lake surface for five weeks, unreported to the residents of White Plains by the city, and unreported to the public by Westchester County. The condition was first brought to the attention of the White Plains Department of Public Works by a person calling the DPW after the rain storm who noticed the sewage like smell. Wood said Commissioner Joseph Nicoletti immediately recommended closing the park on the White Plains side.
A White Plains Police source said the park was closed due to a possible sewage leak from the Harrison side. The Mayor of Harrison, Steve Malfitano has not returned a WPCNR call for comment to clear up what Harrison found on their side of the lake.
Ryan Calls City Response Unsatisfactory.
Legislator Bill Ryan got involved in early August. Ryan, the County Legislator, informed us he first learned of the closing the first week in August from a call from a constituent.
Ryan, did not have an explanation to WPCNR why the population of the City of White Plains was not informed officially of the closing, and why the County Department of Health did not announce it. Ryan said the fencing “was an unsatisfactory response to an unsanitary condition. It’s not in compliance.”
The cryptic closing signs erected by the city are often ignored. On Labor Day, two gentlemen wanted to fish at the park, and two mothers wanted to picnic, but WPCNR which was there observing the lake condition to take these photographs, informed the two would be recreationers of the reason for the park being closed. This did not deter two joggers from running into the park while WPCNR was having a conversation with the fishermen and the two mothers.
Next, Ryan recalls, he heard a report that a truck had dumped some raw sewage intothe lake. This prompted him, Ryan said, to call White Plains August 15, and he was told Commissioner Nicoletti was out of town, and the Mayor’s office said they would get back to Mr. Ryan. Ryan said they never did. On August 16, Ryan said he was referred to Brian Murphy, Deputy Commissioner of Public Works.
‘
The next day, August 17, Ryan said he called the Harrison Department of Public Works, and said that Harrison’s Commissioner of Public Works, Bob Wasp, who informed him the algae bloom was brought to Wasp’s attention after the rains of July 18. Wasp told Ryan that after dye tests were done showing no sewage was present in the water, he, Wasp decided to keep his Harrison side of Silver Lake open to the public.
After WPCNR reported exclusively on the closing of Silver Lake last week, Wood informed CNR that White Plains sewer lines were sound and not leaking.
The County Public Health Department told WPCNR last week they found no evidence of raw sewage in the water, that the Health department saw no reason to close the lake, and the County Health Department did not know the bacteria content of the water. The spokesperson said the Department of Health concluded the algal bloom was caused by overflow from stormwater drains from the Harrison side of the lake.
Remediation Methods Available
Mr. Wood said the city brought in a consultant, Raul Cardenas for advice on how to eliminate the algae blooms. Brian Murphy of the White Plains DPW said last week that the city was thinking of irradicating the bloom with copper sulphate, a common remedy, but Cardenas, also said the city risked a fish kill. So, Wood said the city decided to fence the park instead. Murphy also said Dr. Cardenas did not identify the type of algal bloom.
WPCNR contacted Wendy Rosenbach, spokesperson for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in New Paltz and asked if the city had consulted with DEC on the algae. Rosenbach said the DEC was aware of the Silver Lake situation. She said they had not.
Asked what remedies for the algae were available to the City of White Plains, Rosenbach stated remedies for the algae, in addition to the copper sulphate method, included stocking the lake with grass carp, a bottom feeding vegetarian fish that is sterile and will not reproduce that eats algae and plants.
For Silver Lake, a 12 acre lake you would need, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Inland Fisheries Division, five 10-12 inch grass carp per acre if the water body has 50% or less plant coverage on the bottom, or 60 fish; and 10 per acre (120 fish) if the plant coverage is greater than 50%. Rosenbach said the city would have to receive a permit from the NYDEC to stock the carp to remove the algae.
Another solution Rosenbach said was to use booms to scoop out the allergy. To prevent algae from forming, Rosenbach suggested the city install aerators, (fountains) on the surface of the Lake, similar to those found in golf course water hazards that would roil the surface of the water.
Ryan not happy with City Response.
Ryan contended in last week’s story that it was the city’s responsibility to clean up the algae in the water since that was part of the lease. Wood denied the city was responsible.
A copy of the lease between Westchester County and the City of White Plains was given to WPCNR by Mr. Ryan, who pointed to the following passage, as his evidence that the city by the terms of the lease is responsible for the water quality of the lake. The passage Ryan cites is on page 3 of the lease and reads:
“To the extent that Tenant shall make any improvements to or conduct activities on the Demised Premises that are consistent with the aforementioned standard, it shall also take all reasonable measures to protect the water quality of the Lake and other sensitive environmental features of the Demised Premises and the adjacent Silver Lake Park, including, but not limited to wetlands, streams, sleep slopes or rock outcroppings.”
The lease also states on page 6, the county “will not provide any improvements, services or utilities to the Demised Premises. To the extent that Tenant undertakes to construct any improvements or to utilize any services or utilities on the Demised Premises not consistent with the standards set forth in section”2” above, the same shall be at the sole cost and expense of the Tenant.
And the lease further requires the City of White Plains to “comply with all statutes, ordinances, rules, orders, regulations, codes and requirements of the Federal, State County and municipal governments and of all their departments and bureaus applicable to the Demised Premises or the conduct of any activities permitted under this lease upon the Demised Premises, including, but not limited to State and County public health laws, codes, rules, regulations, and applicable environmental laws, rules and regulations, including, but not limited to, the State Environmental Quality Review Act.”
DEC monitors Silver Lake-Mamaroneck River Connection on a Spot Basis.
WPCNR asked Ms. Rosenbach of the DEc if the DEC was concerned that such high bacteria content was flowing out of Silver Lake into the Mamaroneck River to Long Island Sound for at least a month, July 18 through August 31. Rosenback said the DEC has a schedule of basin monitoring determined by its Albany office, but said the DEC Tarrytown office had not taken any action on the White Plains finding of high bacteria account in the water.
This is interesting, because the DEC is required to make sure limits on contaminants are not execeeded according to their news release announcing a program to renew Long Island Sound in 2001:
The DEC has set standards of dissolved oxygen in the waters of Long Island Sound which is effected by nitrogen and phosphate levels as well as sewage entering the Sound. According to a DEC press release of February 8, 2001, the DEC “has completed its Total Maximum Daily Load analysis to achieve water quality standards for dissolved oxygen in Long Island Sound. The TMDL assessment will ensure that releases of nitrogen into Long Island Sound from sources in New York and Connectuct will not result in violations of dissolved oxygen standards in the Sound.”
The release reports, “New York and Connecticut have determined that water quality in Long Island Sound is impaired due to low levels of dissolved oxygen, a condition known as hypoxia. Sufficent levels of dissolved oxygen in water are a basic requirement for marine life, and hypoxia can have sever negative impacts on fish and other marine organisms. Nitrogen releases from land-based sources such as sewage treatment facilitiers and agricultural operations, or atmospheric deposition from combustion of fossil fuels, can result in decreased levels of dissolved oxygen in a receiving water body.”
Forgotten Promise? Press Release Announcing DEC readiness to monitor county waterways leading to Long Island Sound. Photo by WPCNR News.
The most interesting part of the February 2001 press releases states that “The Federal Clean Water Act requires states to identify water bodies that do not meet water quality standards. States must then develop assessments of how much of a given pollutant the affect water body can safely receive and absorb, and then identify and implement measures to ensure such limits are not exceeded.”
According to the Department of Health of the County spokesperson Mary Landrigan speaking to WPCNR yesterday, the Department of Health does not regularly monitor tributaries along the Mamaroneck River, or any other water body in the county for water quality sampling water quality. The previous spokesperson had told WPCNR that the Department of Health is only concerned with water quality at bathing beaches and ponds where swimming is permitted.
The February 2001 release states the “DEC is actively involved in local watershed efforts, conducting important monitoring and assessment activities, modifying permits and limiting the discharge of pollutants into the Sound, all of which are having a positive impact on the health of the Sound.”
WPCNR will be contacting DEC in Albany to see how often they swing by Silver Lake to monitor the Mamaroneck River inflow there, and other tributaries.
In the case of Silver Lake the high level bacteria content has been dismissed by the DEC and the Department of Health as not of their concern, and they have not taken remedial steps to prevent or remediate the release of the bacteria for six weeks from July 18 through the end of last week.
The City of White Plains has been the only official entity concerned about the alleged sewage problem. The source has not been positively identified and the remediation has been to let the lake work the pollution out.
The city as of this time awaits confirmation that bacteria levels have declined to manageable levels, according to City Hall as of Tuesday. No word yet as to whether the park will be ready for the celebration on Sunday.
Not a West Nile Hazard says county.
In another matter, last week the County Department of Health announced mosquito batches collected in Mount Vernon, Yonkers and New Rochelle have tested positive for West Nile Virus. Informed of this by WPCNR, and asked about Silver Lake being a breeding ground in its present state, Legislator Bill Ryan had Gary Kriss, his press officer for the Board of Legislators check with the Department of Health to see if the algae infested Silver Lake posed a West Nile breeding ground hazard and whether the county has checked that lake.
Kriss said the County Department of Health informed him that West Nile mosquitos generally thrive in urban environment where there is standing water, and that Silver Lake is not tested for mosquitos infected with West Nile virus because it is open flowing water and not likely for mosquitos who carry West Nile to breed there, though this is breeding season.
Mary Landrigan, spokesperson for the Department of Health said that if White Plains wanted to have Silver Lake tested for West Nile-infected mosquitos they could call the county at 813-5000.
A biologist dismissed this explanation of the Department of Health, saying mosquitos do not have preferences for small standing water puddles as opposed to open lakes and marshes.
WPCNR also notes that one of the fears cited by health officials about the New Orleans flood waters (very similar to a lake) is that they are a breeding ground for West Nile virus. It should also be noted that when the county first sprayed for West Nile mosquitos, they sprayed virtually every water body in the county, which was determined to have caused the lobster dieoff and resulted in a $120 Million settlement.
