BILL NUMBER: S7927
SPONSOR: MAYER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the county law, in relation to providing for the convey-
ance or lease of sewer system properties located in the county of
Westchester's New Rochelle sanitary sewer district and related manage-
ment responsibilities to the county by municipalities in such district
when determined to be in the public interest
 
PURPOSE:
To provide the municipalities that are in Westchester County's New
Rochelle Sanitary Sewer District, which includes the city of New
Rochelle, town of Mamaroneck, and the villages of Larchmont and Pelham
Manor, with the option to transfer sewer system properties located in
such district and the related management responsibilities to the county
when it is determined to be in the public interest, resulting in cleaner
water and more affordable water rates for local communities.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill adds a new section 277-a to the county law, creat-
ing a process by which the municipalities in Westchester County's New
Rochelle Sanitary Sewer District may voluntarily convey or lease sewer
system properties located in the New Rochelle Sanitary Sewer District to
the county. This process will allow for the creation of county sewer
districts, extensions, or special transitional zones or assessments as
needed to facilitate the transfer and management of these properties.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Westchester County's water resources, including the Hudson River and
Long Island Sound, are essential to the health, economy, and quality of
life of nearly one million residents. However, aging and fragmented
sewer infrastructure across the county has resulted in frequent sewage
overflows, leaks, and pollution, damaging local waterways and leading to
beach closures, shellfish bed contamination, and threats to public
health. These problems are exacerbated by increasingly frequent and
intense rainstorms that overwhelm municipal sewer systems, causing
untreated sewage to flow into local rivers, streams, and harbors.
The scale of the problem is immense. In 2024, approximately 1.26 billion
gallons of untreated or partially treated sewage were discharged into
Westchester's waterways. The actual volume is likely even higher due to
the lack of reporting on the volume of discharges by treatment plants in
Yonkers and New Rochelle. These overflows contaminate creeks, rivers,
and coastal waters, endangering public health, aquatic ecosystems, and
the recreational economy that so many residents rely upon.
Currently, over 40 municipalities in Westchester separately own and
maintain their sewer collection systems, leading to inconsistent service
levels, varying degrees of maintenance, and significant disparities in
water quality. Many local governments face financial and staffing
constraints that limit their ability to make the necessary investments
in sewer infrastructure, forcing them to react to system failures rather
than proactively maintaining and upgrading their systems. The result is
both higher costs for emergency repairs and continued pollution that
harms the environment and public health.
A 2023 preliminary study on sewer consolidation commissioned by West-
chester County estimated that regionalizing sewer management under coun-
ty control could lead to cost savings of at least 20% on operations and
maintenance by eliminating redundancies, improving system-wide efficien-
cy, and ensuring strategic, long-term infrastructure investment. In
Nassau County, a similar consolidation effort saved $100 million in
capital and operating costs over a decade. Additionally, inflow and
infiltration (I&I) mitigation reducing the volume of stormwater and
groundwater entering the sewer system - has been shown to decrease
treatment costs by as much as 30% in consolidated systems, lowering
expenses for local taxpayers while improving environmental outcomes.
This legislation provides the municipalities in, the County's New
Rochelle Sanitary Sewer District with an opt-in path to transfer sewer
system properties located in the New Rochelle Sanitary Sewer District to
Westchester County, which already operates the county's wastewater
treatment plants. If a municipality chooses to opt-in, it would benefit
from cost savings associated with regionalized sewer management, ensur-
ing more efficient maintenance, strategic investment in upgrades, and
access to state and federal infrastructure funding.
By consolidating sewer system management under county control in the
county's New Rochelle Sanitary Sewer District where such municipalities
determine it is in their best interest, this legislation provides a
framework for more reliable sewer service, lower operational costs, and
improved water quality. It creates an efficient and environmentally
responsible approach to addressing Westchester's long standing sewage
infrastructure challenges.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: 59612, referred to local government.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.