PROTECT THE KENSICO RESERVOIR
No Expansion at the Westchester County Airport

The New York City Watershed, covering about 2,000 square miles north and west of the City, supplies approximately 1.3 billion gallons of drinking water daily to‹over half the population of New York State‹ more than 9.5 million consumers in New York City, as well as parts of Westchester, Putnam, Orange and Ulster Counties.

New York City's water supply is increasingly endangered by development around upstate reservoirs. The Kensico Reservoir watershed in Westchester County, considered to be the most critical reservoir in the system since it serves as the impoundment, the last stop before distribution, for our drinking water, is already threatened by encroaching development and requires our constant vigilance to ensure it¹s protection. Under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, the Kensico Reservoir is considered "source water" and is subject to strict water quality standards.

Unfortunately, we are now faced with a threat to the important Kensico Reservoir: Expansion at Westchester County Airport. Currently, Westchester County is reevaluating specific sections of the Airport Layout Plan created under the 1986 Master Plan Update. The County has put forward options for reuse of portions of the airport that will not make the protection of the Kensico a primary concern.

The Westchester County Airport, lying as close as 750 feet from the edge of the tributary to the reservoir, has been a threat to the Kensico throughout its existence. Under today's environmental standards, the airport would never even be considered for creation next to this important reservoir. However, since the airport lies in such close proximity to the reservoir, it is imperative that we take all measures to limit activity at the airport that would be detrimental to the Kensico.

Water pollution from the airport deicing operations create serious threats to our drinking water supply; major ground water pollution is caused by fuel spills and leaking underground fuel tanks and planes flying over the reservoir system surrounding the Westchester County Airport pollute the water. Actually, the full health and environmental impacts from airports are still unknown. Expansion of the airport could indeed jeopardize the integrity of this critical water source.

Westchester County now has the opportunity to "right a wrong."

In terms of human benefits, one would be hard-pressed to name a more critical natural habitat anywhere on the globe. And the catastrophic consequences of not protecting the watershed are economic as well as environmental.

PROBLEM

The quality of New York City's drinking water is being threatened by the expansion of the Westchester County Airport in the Kensico Watershed Region. The airport, lying as close as 750 feet from the edge of the reservoir, already poses a health risk to our water with runoff from deicing of planes, numerous fuel spills and emissions from planes flying over the Kensico. Today, the airport would never even be allowed near this critical water source.

About 90% of New York City's drinking water flows through the Kensico Reservoir. If the Kensico becomes polluted, it puts nearly all of New York City's drinking water in jeopardy. If we can't protect our watershed, then building an estimated $6-8 billion filtration plant, with operating costs of over $500 million per year, may be unavoidable.

SOLUTION

We need to protect our health and our drinking water. That's why NYPIRG is strongly urging Westchester County to protect the Kensico by abandoning all plans to increase activity and expand the Westchester County Airport.

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