Toilet paper,scuba divers and Muskrats
Not exactly three things that you normally mention in one sentence. Unfortunately, that is what we saw today in a span of about 30 minutes on the river today.
As a part of the pilot bacteria monitoring study, KS and I went up to Muskrat Cove to take some samples. As KS took her samples at the pipe that leads into the river on the right bank just above Nereid avenue, I noticed that the flow from the pipe was stronger than normal and strangely foamy. I sat strangely because the foam dissipated rather quickly and the bubbles burst almost violently. I crawled out on a tree to photograph the foam more closely. Just as I turned off the camera, a muskrat came swimming right at me from up river before diving and disappearing. Despite the suffix part of their name, they are cute, otter like animals.
I didn’t have time to smile about my encounter however, because when I looked down into the flow from the pipe, I realized that suddenly a good bit of the foam was not breaking up. There was a simple, terrible explanation: It was toilet paper. It became obvious that the flow coming from the pipe which it is believed comes from McClean Ave. in Yonkers, was discharging raw sewage into the Bronx River. KS took several samples so we should have an answer beyond the visual in about a week. I have no doubt.
This pipe, an overflow for reservoir water, I believe coming from the Hillview Reservoir, is expected to have some flow even in dry weather. The illegal connections were a part of a mult-million dollar lawsuit a couple of years ago by the city of NY . Yonkers has since eliminated 50 or 60 illegal connections to this pipe, but apparently some remain. Some time ago, the city of Yonkers contracted Malcom Pirnie, inc, for consultation in the matter in an effort to complete the remediation. Just what work they have done is yet to be seen. Judging by what was flowing from that pipe, remediation still needs to be done. Video and pictures soon to follow.
Act II Scene I At 174th St., we were not greeted by homeless people or geese. Instead we found 3 NYPD frogmen preparing for a dive in the Bronx River. They were “ Looking for stuff,” as a part of an “ongoing investigation.” Sorry, but I didn’t ask anymore questions. The ideas popped just into my head.
1 comment March 17th, 2008
