November 13, 2024 - The Northern Westchester Joint Water Works (NWJWW) provides drinking water to the Town of Cortlandt, Town of Yorktown, Town of Somers, Montrose Improvement District, and Buchanan through the operation of 2 surface water treatment plants. Water is purchased from New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP), treated at the Catskill and/or Amawalk Treatment Facilities, and sold to the member towns.
During periods of a drought, a major leak, a system failure, or excessive consumption beyond the capacity of the system, etc., the NWJWW has the authority to conserve and restrict water use based upon our needs to ensure adequate supply for domestic and firefighting needs. During times of drought or other problems that limit the availability of water, public notice of water use restrictions will be issued by NWJWW and enforced by distribution system superintendents through local law enforcement agencies.
New York State has declared the Drought Regions II and IIA are now at a Drought Watch. Drought status determinations are based on a State Drought Index that uses New York State specific attributes, so it may differ somewhat from national drought assessments. In addition, local conditions may vary, so some areas of the state may make their own determinations of drought stage using locally-focused criteria.