08 - Chapter 8 - Infrastructure & UtilitiesPlan Rye Brook
Chapter 8: Infrastructure and Utilities 101
8. INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES
The infrastructure within Rye Brook supports its residential and commercial uses. Often referred to
as “grey infrastructure,” it consists of manmade improvements that support human settlement,
such as roads and bridges, water and sewer systems, electric lines, telecommunication lines and
other community systems. This chapter addresses the major infrastructure systems within the
village and existing conditions and trends. Maintaining the infrastructure in Rye Brook is an
important factor in preserving the village’s quality of life and economic development efforts.12
8.1 Water Supply
Water in the Village of Rye Brook is supplied by a private water company, United Water of
Westchester (see Figure 19). United Water has historically purchased approximately 60% of the
water supply from Aquarion Inc., which provides water from Putnam Reservoir in Greenwich, just
to the northeast of Rye Brook and south of the Merritt Parkway, where the surface water is sand-
filtered to remove the impurities and hardness. The remaining 40% of Rye Brook’s water is
purchased from Westchester Joint Water Works (WJWW), which provides water from the New
York City water supply.
In 1995, a Drought Response Plan (DRP) was adopted by the Connecticut and New York-
American Water Companies; the Town and City of Rye and Villages of Rye Brook and Port
Chester in New York; and the Towns of Greenwich and Darien in Connecticut. The DRP is a four-
stage plan following guidelines established by the Westchester County Health Department and
the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The first stage, Drought Advisory, promotes
voluntary water conservation and public outreach and education to reduce water consumption.
This stage has a goal of 10% reduction in water use.
The next three stages – Drought Watch, Drought Warning and Drought Emergency – place
mandatory restrictions on water use, with the goal being to reduce consumption by 15%, 20%
and 25%, respectively, for each of the stages. During a Drought Emergency, all non-essential use
of water is prohibited.
In Rye Brook, Chapter 243 of the Village Code provides for procedures, enforcement and
penalties in the event of declaration of a Drought Watch, Warning or Emergency. The Village
Police Department, Village Code Enforcement Officer, Village Engineer and Village Building
Inspector are designated enforcement officers for any water use restrictions imposed under the
DRP. A series of penalties are established for violating water use restrictions, although the Village
Administrator is authorized to grant an exemption or variance from the restrictions, based on
several specified criteria.
12 See Chapter 7, Transportation, for a description of Rye Brook’s transportation network.
RYE BROOK, NY
PLAN RYE BROOK
SOURCE: WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING
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Chapter 8: Infrastructure and Utilities 103
8.2 Sanitary Sewers
Most of Rye Brook is in the County’s Blind Brook Sewer District, which serves a population of
about 27,000 people and covers an area of approximately 14 square miles (see Figure 20).
Sewage in this area is treated at the Blind Brook Waste Water Treatment Plant in Rye. The primary
treatment facility was constructed in 1962, while the secondary treatment facility was built in
1982. The design flow of the facility is 5 million gallons per day (MGD). The current average
actual daily flow is 4.2 MGD.
In May 2013, the Westchester County Board of Legislators adopted a Bond Act authorizing the
issuance of $700,000 in County bonds to finance rehabilitation of the Blind Brook Sanitary Sewer
District. The project entails television monitoring, cleaning, lining or replacing, as necessary,
sewer lines which have been identified as having excessive inflow or infiltration (“I/I.”). In
addition, manholes will be rehabilitated, replaced or sealed, as needed. The bond issue is part of
the County’s efforts to remedy I/I problems, which impose significant stress on its wastewater
treatment plants, increase the cost of operating and maintaining the County’s pump stations and
sewage treatment facilities and have the potential to trigger flow violations at the treatment
plants. In addition, excess I/I may have the potential to affect the magnitude of any future
nitrogen removal facilities that the County may be required to build to address existing flows.
A portion of southeastern Rye Brook is in the Port Chester Sewer District, which covers an area of
about 2.7 square miles and is almost contiguous with the Village of Port Chester boundaries,
including small parts of Rye Brook and the City of Rye. The Port Chester Sewage Treatment Plant
has the capacity to treat an average wastewater influent flow of 5.5 MGD. Secondary treatment
processes have a peak hydraulic capacity of 12.2 MGD, or 13.4 MGD included recycled flows.13
The Village of Rye Brook has completed a significant mapping project to locate all sewer basins,
manholes and outfalls using GIS technology. The next step in this effort will be to map sewer
connections and flow, which will help in locating and addressing illegal connections.
8.3 Solid Waste
Rye Brook offers rear-yard garbage pickup on a twice-weekly basis. Green waste and recyclables
are picked up curbside on a weekly basis, with bulk trash pickup offered twice-monthly.
The Village is one of 36 Westchester municipalities that are part of the County’s Refuse Disposal
District #1, which sends solid waste to the Charles Point Resource Recovery Facility in Peekskill.
Rye Brook’s solid waste is sent to Charles Point via the Brockway Place transfer station in White
Plains, which also serves White Plains, Port Chester, Scarsdale, Harrison and the City of Rye, and
is capable of handling 600 to 900 tons of refuse a day.
13 Village of Port Chester Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, February 2013 Draft.
RYE BROOK, NY
PLAN RYE BROOK
SOURCE: WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING
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Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 8: Infrastructure and Utilities 105
In terms of recyclable materials, approximately 90% of the residentially collected recyclable
material in Westchester County is processed at the Daniel P. Thomas Material Recovery Facility
(MRF) in Yonkers. In 2012, the facility underwent a retrofit to incorporated new technology
allowing for recycling of additional materials.
According to the Westchester County Department of Environmental Facilities, the Village of Rye
Brook has a high recycling rate, surpassing both the County and the national average. In 2012,
the Village recycled 7,530 tons, or 71%, of its total 10,574 tons of solid waste. Only three
municipalities had higher recycling rates, with two communities equaling Rye Brook’s level.
Chapter 5 of this Plan discusses utilizing State programs to strengthen recycling efforts.
8.4 Electricity and Energy
Consolidated Edison (ConEd) provides electric power and natural gas to households and
businesses in Rye Brook. There are two major electric substations located in the village.
The Tennessee Gas Pipeline, a 13,900-mile interstate pipeline owned by Kinder Morgan,
transports natural gas from Louisiana, the Gulf of Mexico and south Texas to the northeastern
United States, including New York City and Boston. The pipeline runs through the center of the
village, connecting to ConEd’s gas distribution system at the Glenville Road metering station in
Greenwich. There is also a Tennessee Gas meter facility near Brookside Way in Rye Brook.
Buildings in Rye Brook are heated by a variety of fuel sources, including gas, oil, electricity and
propane. According to the Census Bureau, utility gas is the most common form of heating fuel for
homes in the village (see Table 20). This contrasts with Westchester County as a whole, where
fuel oil is most prevalent. Fuel oil also represents a key form of heating in Rye Brook, and is
generally delivered by trucks and stored in above- or below-ground tanks. The County Health
Department regulates any in-ground petroleum tank with a capacity greater than 110 gallons.
This would include most home heating oil tanks, which typically are more than 200 gallons.
Table 20: Home Heating Fuel Use, Rye Brook
Number Percentage
Total Occupied Housing Units 3,376
Utility Gas 2,194 65.0%
Bottled, Tank or LP Gas 25 0.7%
Electricity 111 3.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 1,046 31.0%
Coal or Coke 0 -
All Other Fuels 0 -
No Fuel Used 0 -
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007-2011 5-Year Estimates
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 8: Infrastructure and Utilities 106
8.5 Dams
There are three regulated dams in Rye Brook: the Bowman Avenue dam, the Blind Brook Country
Club dam and the Hidden Falls at Rye Brook dam.
The Bowman Avenue dam’s outlet control structure is owned by the City of Rye and is being
retrofitted with a sluicegate as part of a flood mitigation project being undertaken jointly by the
City and the Village (see Chapter 5). The retrofit project is designed to increase water storage
capacity during storms in the impoundment immediately upstream from the dam on City property
in Rye Brook, to the benefit of properties within both municipalities, south of the dam, that
experience chronic flooding from the Blind Brook.
Both the Bowman Avenue and Hidden Falls dams have a State hazard classification of B, or
“intermediate hazard.” Per Part 673 of the Environmental Conservation Law, the failure of an
intermediate hazard dam may result in damage to isolated homes, main highways and minor
railroads; the interruption of important utilities; or is otherwise likely to pose the threat of personal
injury and/or substantial economic loss or substantial environmental damage. However, loss of
human life is not expected with failure of an intermediate hazard dam.
The Blind Brook Country Club dam has a State hazard classification of C or “high hazard.” State
regulations note that failure of a high hazard dam may result in widespread or serious damage
to homes; damage to main highways, industrial or commercial buildings, railroads or important
utilities; or substantial environmental damage, including the potential loss of human life or
widespread economic loss.
8.6 Issues and Opportunities
Promote Water Conservation
Although Rye Brook’s water supply is anticipated to be sufficient to continue serving its residents,
as part of its sustainability efforts, the Village can facilitate water conservation through public
education and regulation. The Village should explore adopting planning guidelines and policies
to mandate more water conservation, and should coordinate with regional experts on effective
and innovative potential tools.
Employ Green Development and Infrastructure Practices
As discussed in Chapter 5, Rye Brook should explore and promote a range of sustainable and
“green” building practices. In particular, to address the impact of impervious surfaces, the Village
should facilitate the use of green infrastructure techniques as presented in the NYS DEC
Stormwater Management Design Manual. When implemented appropriately, green infrastructure
can reduce runoff volume, peak flow and flow duration; improve groundwater recharge, protect
water resources, reduce downstream flooding and property damage and provide water quality
improvements. The Manual provides guidelines for preservation of natural features and
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 8: Infrastructure and Utilities 107
conservation design, reduction of impervious cover and infrastructure techniques for runoff
reduction.
Reduce Inflow and Infiltration into Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
The Village should continue to work with Westchester County to continue to implement projects
that can reduce inflow and infiltration into the collection systems, in order to improve capacity
and reduce stress on the County’s treatment plants. This effort should also include measures to
educate the public about the impacts of illegal connections.
Coordinate Road and Infrastructure Projects, New Utility Projects and Location of Utility
Rights-of-Way and Easements
Some road and infrastructure projects occurring within Rye Brook are under the purview of the
State or County, and there may be limited coordination among these entities, the Village and
private utility companies as to their timing and location. The Village should work with utility
companies and appropriate governmental agencies to identify, monitor and track repaving and
road improvement projects with utility infrastructure projects, to reduce repetitive construction,
costs and traffic delays. The Village should also work with the agencies and utility providers on
public dissemination of this information so that residents and large land users have an idea of
which projects are in the pipeline.
Encourage Use of Renewable Resources and Promote Recycling and Waste Reduction
The Village should continue to encourage recycling, waste reduction and the use of renewable
resources; see Chapter 5.
8.7 Infrastructure and Utilities Recommendations
Promote water conservation through public education, potential planning guidelines and
policies to mandate water conservation and coordination with regional experts on
effective and innovative tools.
Facilitate the use of green infrastructure techniques as presented in the NYS DEC
Stormwater Management Design Manual.
Work with the County to continue to implement projects that can reduce inflow and
infiltration into sanitary sewer collection systems, in order to improve capacity and reduce
stress on the County’s treatment plants.
Educate the public about illegal sewer connections.
Work with utility companies and appropriate governmental agencies to identify, monitor
and track repaving and road improvement projects with utility infrastructure projects, to
reduce repetitive construction, costs and traffic delays. Coordinate with the agencies and
utility providers on effective public dissemination of this information.
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 8: Infrastructure and Utilities 108