Greenburgh, N.Y. water valve break causes 3-hour delay for schools

Schools in the Town of Greenburgh, New York, had three-hour delays Friday due to a water valve break. 

The break took place at Central Park Avenue and Ardsley Road Thursday afternoon. 

Some residents in Edgemont, Hartsdale and Fairview told Town Supervisor Paul Feiner they had been impacted by the break. Feiner said the break was "more severe than originally thought." 

Feiner said all residents should have their water back by Friday afternoon. 

A boil water advisory has been issued, meaning those in the impacted area are advised to bring tap water to a rolling boil for at least a minute before using it for drinking, preparing food, dishwashing by hand, or brushing teeth. The advisory doesn't apply to bathing, washing clothes or using a dishwasher. 

The following areas are impacted by the boil water advisory, as per Westchester County officials. 

• Area 1: Sprain Brook Parkway (Western Boundary), Central Avenue (Eastern Boundary), Jackson Avenue (Southern Boundary), Underhill Road (Northern Boundary)
• Area 2: Central Avenue (Western Boundary), Bronx River Parkway (Eastern Boundary), Dromore Road (not including Old Colony Road) (Northern Boundary)
• Area 3: Central Avenue Corridor between Underhill Road/Old Army Road (Southern Boundary) and W/E Hartsdale Ave (Northern Boundary)
• Area 4: W/E Hartsdale Avenue/Knollwood Road (Western/Southern Boundary), I-287 (Northern Boundary)
• Area 5:  I-287 (Southern Boundary), Old Tarrytown Road (Northern Boundary), Washington Avenue (West Boundary), Beech/Maple Street (Eastern Boundary)
• Area 6: Saw Mill River Rd (to Stone Avenue in Elmsford) (Northern/Western Boundary), Sprain Brook Parkway (Eastern Boundary), Houses North of Secor Road (Northern Boundary)

The Boil Water Advisory will remain in effect until further testing confirms the water supply is safe for consumption and residents are officially notified that the advisory has been lifted.

This is an ongoing issue, and residents are encouraged to contact Greenburgh Consolidated Water District #1 at (914) 989-1900 or Westchester County Health Department at (914) 813-5000 for updates.

The problem started while replacing a fire hydrant, according to the Greenburgh Water Department. The valve came off the pipe during that repair. Crews shut numerous valves in the area to try to stop the water so they could make the repair, but it did not help, according to the water department. An attempt to drain the system resulted in a wider shutdown. Finally, at 4 a.m., crews were able to halt the water flow to make the repair, and a new valve and hydrant were installed. 

As for the delay at the schools, some kids stayed home, much to the delight of their grandparents. 

"The minute I heard, I said, 'Great, we have a day together,'" grandfather Martin Rubin said, who played catch with his grandson Bennett. 

"There was a lot of confusion, chaos this morning 'cause it was a delay. Wasn't going to be closed or remote, and we did get a number of phone calls coming in from the district," Emily Rubin said. "Me and my husband work remotely on Friday so we have to hand our laptops over to our little ones for remote learning."

Greenburgh is located about 50 miles north of New York City.