Water emergency declared, restrictions implemented

The level of Byram Lake, Mount Kisco’s primary drinking water source, recently dropped to below 83% of capacity, forcing village officials to put restrictions in place, effective immediately. Martin Wilbur Photo

By MARTIN WILBUR

Mount Kisco invoked Level 4 water restrictions this week as Byram Lake, the village’s primary water source, has dipped below 83% of capacity after a prolonged period of below average precipitation dating back to 2024.

The restrictions prohibit restaurants from serving water unless it has been requested by a customer and all outdoor use of water. Mayor J. Michael Cindrich declared an emergency effective Tuesday in advance of this week’s Village Board meeting, although he said he had some reservations about the declaration in the middle of winter when water usage is at its lowest point.

“We don’t want to have a water shortage,” said Cindrich, who recalled times when lake capacity dropped to as low as 50 percent. “So, we’re not going to wait until the lake is at 75 percent, like in the past.”

The emergency can only be rescinded by another declaration by the mayor. 

Village Manager Ed Brancati said there is no indication how long Mount Kisco will be subject to the restrictions. It is hoped that there will be some significant precipitation between now and the start of the warm weather in spring when water consumption rises, he said. Restrictions on outdoor use include no sprinklers, hoses or filling of swimming pools. The use of power washers is also prohibited.

Maximum penalties for residents are fines ranging from $250 to $500 and/or up to 15 days in jail for each violation. Corporate offenders would face fines from $500 to $2,500, according to the declaration.

In the fall of 2024, there was a drought that necessitated burn bans in the county followed by below average rainfall through the first eight months of last year. Although there has been more precipitation in recent months, not all of that water has made its way into the 170-acre reservoir, Brancati explained.

“The ground has just been absorbing it all,” Brancati said. “You need the ground a little more saturated where it will then run off.”

Although the December water report indicated that Byram Lake is at less than 83% of capacity, the reservoir level could be less than that, said Deputy Mayor Karen Schleimer. Until the dam is repaired, the village does not have the ability to measure the exact level once it dips below that threshold.

In some previous water emergencies in Mount Kisco, the village would use rolling 10-year averages of water capacity and install a Level 4 restriction if the lake level fell below 85 percent of that average, Brancati said. This time, once it fell below 83 percent, it was considered prudent to put the emergency into effect.

“We can’t predict rainfall, so what we’re going to want is a preemptive strike to a worst-case scenario,” Cindrich said.

Byram Lake’s capacity is just over 1.2 billion gallons, but that doesn’t mean the village can draw that amount of water from the reservoir, he said. 

Over the years, Mount Kisco has explored tapping into the Delaware aqueduct, part of the New York City reservoir system, Brancati said. Typically, the city’s reservoirs are less susceptible to drought because of their size, the expanse of the surrounding watershed lands and the amount of water that is held. Brancati said that option is still being explored; however, the village was mandated to build a water filtration plant near Byram Lake at a $26 million cost.

The village’s Building Department will inform restaurant owners of the restrictions pertaining to the service of water to customers.