Thousands in Yonkers remain under boil water advisory after water main break

Thousands of people in Yonkers are under a boil water advisory after a one-two punch of infrastructure problems. 

First, there was a sinkhole caused by a sewer collapse. A water main break followed. 

For 35 families on Moquette Row North, along with a handful of nearby businesses, it was even more difficult - they had no water service at all. 

"Not being able to flush the toilet. Not being able to cook. Not being able to do anything for yourself without water," resident Stacy Sierra said. She had been without water since Monday. 

They're grateful the city of Yonkers delivered a case of bottled water to each home each day, and were anxious for repair work on Nepperhan Avenue to be complete. That's where a 100-year-old water main broke while repairs were being made to an equally old sewer system. 

"We've had 60 water main breaks so far this year. They occur once a week," Public Works Commissioner Tom Meier said. 

Meier said this particular break required a notification to 60,000 residents who still have water service to boil water for a minute before using it for drinking or cooking. 

Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Mike Spano's office announced water had been restored in the area, but the boil water advisory would remain in effect through Friday. 

"Water is vital to every household and business, and we understand how disruptive an interruption in service can be," Spano said.   

There's more to be done. 

"We have to flush it, wait three hours. We have to take samples," Meier said. "By Friday morning, Friday midday, water should be safe to drink." 

The couplings to fix the pipe were made to order in Seattle and shipped overnight at a cost of several thousand dollars, so the water issues could be resolved this week and not pushed into the next.