Water Filtration Plant Launch Pushed to January

The water filtration plant that will bring fresh water from the Delaware Aqueduct to some 7,000 customers in Bedford Hills and Katonah should be operational in January, said Kevin Winn, Bedford's public works commissioner.

Initially planned to launch at the end of the summer, the plant is delayed due to the recent storms and the late delivery of key electrical equipment, Winn said.

"A week of no power shifted the schedule," said Winn, Bedford's public works commissioner who has managed the project, which was several years in the making and will total over two years of construction when it's finished.

The delivery of electrical motors was expected in February, but arrived in September. Then the manufacturer had to fine-tune the equipment, Winn added.

"It's disappointing, certainly, but it's not unique for complex projects such as this. If all goes as planned, we will be operational in January and, more importantly, within budget," Winn said.

Town board members approved modifications to the project last week including one for $43,876 for Sisca Construction to create design enhancements on the plant's chemical monitoring systems, and a second that clarified the number of days spent by RJR Electric to complete electrical work.

Check out the video posted with this story for a tour of the plant, hosted by Winn and Steven Wescott, construction engineer on the project, who explain how the water is treated. This video was filmed in August 2012.

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