[UPDATE]Hudson View Residents Await Word from Westchester County Health Officials on Water Contamination

Update, 2:15 p.m.:

Westchester County health officials are advising residents of the Hudson View Estates in Peekskill not to drink their tap water until they have finished monitoring it for traces of the AFFF foam used to extinguish Thursday’s fire at the apartment complex.

The advisory has been in place since Saturday.

“They can use it for washing their hands or clothes, but they are being advised not to drink it, use it to brush their teeth or prepare food,” said Heather McGill, a spokeswoman for the Westchester County Department of Health.

McGill said the water line has already been flushed once and health officials are hopeful that will be enough to clear out any possible contamination.

“We should know tomorrow afternoon, barring any unforeseen issues whether the flushing did the trick,” McGill said. “If the flushing does not work, the ‘do not drink water advisory’ would stay in effect and the line would be re-flushed and samples will be taken again and we would take from there.”

McGill also said that the boil water advisory that was put in place for residents on neighboring streets was lifted for most homes Sunday night.

But McGill said new boil water advisory targeting a specific number of homes was released this afternoon. The homes targeted in that alert are: 15 Pemart Ave., 17 Pemart Ave., 19 Pemart Ave., 1 Lakeview Dr., 2 Lakeview Dr., 116 Lakeview Dr., 118 Lakeview Dr. and 120 Lakeview Dr.

The advisory will remain in effect through tomorrow, until further notice.

Peekskill Mayor Mary Foster released the following statement earlier today:

"We are working around the clock the address the situation. The City is committed to getting water permanently restored and then finding a permanent solution for repairing the water main. The situation is complex and often changes by the minute. Tankers with potable water are stationed at Peekskill Tower and at Hudson View Estates and will remain in place throughout the water main repair.  I thank the affected residents who continue to handle this difficult situation well.

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Peekskill Towers resident Mary Givens said she’s been going with the flow the past four days. Pun unintended.

“I’ve learned in my life to deal with the situations in which I find myself,” Givens said Sunday night. “The past couple of days, I’ve found myself in situation in which there was fire and no water. I try to make the best of it. I don’t cry about it. I don’t complain about it. I just deal with it.”

Days after a massive fire destroyed an apartment building in the Hudson View Estates in Peekskill, residents on Lakeview Drive have had limited access to clean, drinkable water.

But city officials are hopeful that things will begin returning to normal today when they locate the last of four water main breaks that have plagued the area since Thursday.

A leak in a secondary water main in the area of Highland Avenue and Garfield Street occurred as firefighters fought Thursday’s blaze at Building E. No one was injured, but the building was destroyed and eventually razed.

On Saturday, workers from the city’s water department discovered two more main breaks. A third one was discovered Sunday morning.

Vince Powell, the city’s assistant water & sewer superintendent, said Sunday night that workers are still searching for the last one.

A leak detection specialist is being brought in this morning to try and find the leak. In the meantime, water service will be cut to residents in the vicinity of Pemart Avenue, up to Lakeview Drive, from about 11 a.m. — 4 p.m. while the leak detection is performed.

Although a limited amount of water service has been restored, the Westchester County Department of Health is advising residents to boil any water until it deems that it is no longer necessary.

Two water tankers, one for the residents of Peekskill Towers and the other for Hudson View residents, have since been provided by the property managers of Hudson View Estates until the situation is clear.

“There are a lot of senior citizens here,” Givens said. “The fire department stopped by earlier to make sure everyone was OK. It’s hard for some of them to get around.”

Bob Knight, a spokesman for the city’s Common Council, said Mayor Mary Foster was in the area Sunday to answer questions for residents.

“The residents have handled this extremely difficult situation quite well,” Knight said. “The information changes quickly. By the time we issue a public statement, the information has changed. But we appreciate everyone’s patience as we try to get them the most accurate information.”