Greenburgh schools reopen after 3-hour delay, Edgemont shifts to remote learning following water main break
Officials say a valve near Central Park Avenue and Ardsley Road failed Thursday afternoon, affecting residents in Edgemont, Hartsdale and Fairview.
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Greenburgh schools reopened Friday on a three-hour delay after a major water main break disrupted service across parts of the town, while Edgemont schools shifted to remote learning for the day.
Officials said the break began Thursday afternoon during a fire hydrant replacement project on Central Avenue. Greenburgh's chief water treatment plant operator said an approximately 100-year-old underground valve failed under pressure, triggering a cascading water emergency that forced crews to shut down pumps serving Greenville and Fairview and work through the night to isolate and repair the break.
Greenburgh Central School District announced its schools would reopen on a three-hour delay after town officials confirmed the water main had been repaired and that it was safe to reopen buildings. Officials encouraged students to bring bottled water to school out of an abundance of caution.
Woodlands Middle High School opened at 10:50 a.m., Richard J. Bailey Elementary School at 11 a.m., Lee F. Jackson Elementary School and Highview Elementary School at 11:45 a.m., and the Early Childhood Program at 12:15 p.m. All after-school activities are scheduled to proceed as planned.
Officials said residents in Edgemont, Hartsdale and Fairview were among those affected by the outage. Crews used multiple suction pumps, including equipment from the Greenville Fire Department, as they worked to drain the flooded excavation site and reach the damaged pipe.
Water department officials said a key 20-inch valve that initially would not close was finally shut around 4 a.m., allowing crews to complete repairs and install a new hydrant and hydrant valve connection.
Water service is being gradually restored, but officials warned residents could experience low pressure and discolored water as the system returns to normal. They said valves are being reopened carefully to prevent air pockets that could cause another major break.
News 12 spoke with one resident who still didn't have any water as of Friday afternoon.
"It's concerning that we live in Westchester. We pay such high taxes and running water is like a basic necessity. It's not even a luxury at this point," said resident Abby Velanand.
She and her husband just moved to the area in June. They have an 11-month-old son.
"One of the most important things with a young child is keeping their utensils clean, the bottles clean, making sure they are sanitized. Just not having water has been very hard," she said.
A boil water advisory is now in effect for affected areas that lost water service during the outage. Officials said bacterial and E. coli testing must confirm the water is safe before the advisory can be lifted.
The advisory will remain in place until testing confirms the water is safe to drink and residents are notified that it has been lifted.
Residents who are unsure whether their address is affected can contact the Town Water District at 914-989-1900.
