Committee of the Whole Meeting on Yonkers Wastewater Treatment Plant Power Failure – August 13, 2026

On August 13, 2026, the Westchester County Board of Legislators Committee of the Whole convened to discuss the power failure and resulting partially treated effluent discharge at the Yonkers Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant that occurred over the July 4th holiday weekend. The meeting featured a detailed presentation from Department of Environmental Facilities (DEF) Commissioner Vincent Kopicki and First Deputy Commissioner Louis Vetrone, followed by extensive questioning from legislators. Key topics included the root cause of the failure (an unannounced 8% voltage reduction by Con Edison that damaged a breaker), the response timeline, communications breakdowns with Con Edison, the fact that the released effluent met all permit limits despite being only partially treated, and lessons learned for future prevention.

Discussion Items

• Commissioner Kopicki presented an overview of the plant: it treats sewage from approximately 500,000 residents, processing nearly 24 billion gallons in 2025. The plant normally achieves 94-96% removal, exceeding its 85% permit limit. He explained that on July 2 at 9:00 PM, Con Edison implemented an 8% voltage reduction (brownout) without notifying DEF. Between 9-10 PM, staff reset equipment, but at 10 PM a large 1,750-horsepower roots blower was brought online, causing a total plant blackout. The plant’s emergency generators were not triggered because they only activate on complete power loss, not on voltage reduction. DEF contacted Con Edison at 11:23 PM and 11:53 PM but received no response until the following morning. Electricians worked overnight in the dark and heat, and eventually found a damaged breaker for the roots blower as the cause of repeated trips. At 11:00 AM on July 3, they implemented a workaround using construction-site generators, restoring primary treatment. Full power and full secondary treatment resumed at 1:45 PM on July 3. Con Edison did not restore full utility power until July 6. Throughout the event, the plant met all its permit limits (85% removal) for CBOD5, TSS, fecal coliform, and other parameters. Commissioner Kopicki stressed that the discharge was partially treated effluent, not raw sewage. DEF notified DEC at 12:55 AM on July 3 and issued an NY Alert at 1:09 AM. The DEC subsequently issued a notice of violation; DEF has submitted a corrective action plan focusing on improved communication and is awaiting closure. DEF has since met with Con Edison to update contact lists (adding 30 DEF personnel) and is exploring voltage-boosting equipment and protocols for proactive generator switching during anticipated voltage reductions.
• Legislators asked a series of questions, focusing heavily on Con Edison’s role and communication failures. Several legislators (Alvarado, Williams, Pierce, Ulaj, Tobiello, Holstein, Nambiar) expressed frustration that Con Edison did not notify DEF before the voltage reduction, did not respond to emergency calls, and did not come to the site. They noted that the plant is designated a critical infrastructure facility but was not prioritized. Legislators called for requiring Con Edison to hold critical infrastructure meetings during heat waves and to improve notification (texts, calls, etc.). Some legislators raised concerns about the DEC violation, the need for a public after-action report, and the importance of testing for swimming and recreation safety. Others (Legislator Bar, Nolan, Nader) emphasized the need for better internal county communications to avoid mixed messages about river safety. Legislator Williams Johnson questioned whether the emergency response could be improved by having electricians on-site overnight during summer months. Legislator Tobiello raised the possibility of requiring Con Edison to isolate critical infrastructure from voltage reductions, though DEF noted that is not currently feasible. Legislator Puja asked for a walkthrough of how the plant would handle a similar event today. Commissioner Kopicki responded that with advance notification, they would bring in electricians, take large equipment offline, and use generator power proactively. Multiple legislators expressed appreciation for the dedication of DEF staff who worked around the clock, including those who returned from vacation.
• Several legislators (Alvarado, Tobiello, Nader) pressed for follow-up meetings with the Department of Health to discuss water testing, odor issues, and broader infrastructure concerns. Legislator Pierce raised the issue of combined sewer overflows and the need for municipalities to fix their stormwater systems to reduce the burden on the Yonkers plant. Commissioner Kopicki noted ongoing capital projects totaling $68 million at the Yonkers plant (with an additional $400 million in design for a complete electrical upgrade and an anaerobic digester gas engine project expected online in January 2027).

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken; the meeting was informational and deliberative.
• DEF will continue working with Con Edison to finalize new communication protocols and explore voltage-boosting equipment for the plant.
• DEF will review the possibility of adding voltage-sensing equipment that could alert plant staff to power reductions independently of Con Edison.
• Legislators expressed intent to involve the state delegation and Public Service Commission to hold Con Edison accountable for communication failures and to advocate for critical infrastructure protections.
• The committee indicated a future meeting with the Department of Health will be scheduled to address water quality testing, beach advisories, and broader environmental concerns raised by the incident.
• DEF committed to informing the committee when the DEC notice of violation is formally closed and to providing updates on the electrical upgrade project.