Town Board Backs Water Switch for Croton, High Ridge

The New Castle Town Board gave the go ahead for residents of Croton Avenue and High Ridge Road to be able to switch from Mount Kisco's water to the town's water supply.

The board voted unanimously at its Tuesday meeting to approve the creation of a new water district for the northern New Castle residents. It will include 35 parcels that are just to the northwest of the border with Mount Kisco. Residents on the streets who live on the Mount Kisco side will continue to receive the village's water.

The town board also approve issuing $240,000 in bond financing to pay for the project. Residents of the new district will see water bills of $77 per thousand cubic feet (kcf) of water, along with a $590 per-household "capital cost fee" that will be paid annually for 15 years. Other New Castle residents who receive town water pay less, but for the High Ridge and Croton residents the new figure is a major discount - Town Administrator Penny Paderewski explained it's about half - from Mount Kisco's rates. 

A high cost of receiving water from Mount Kisco was an issue for years for parcels that will be in the district. The village, which also supplies water to people in New Castle and Bedford, charge double for non-resident users of what people who live in Mount Kisco pay. Getting better water pressure for the top of High Ridge was also a reason for the switch.

The higher water rates for New Castle residents, Paderewski explained in her report at the meeting, came with significant hikes from the village that were meant to pay off construction of its water filtration plant, which opened in 2004. Paderewski added that residents were paying over $140 kcf.

Attempts to reach an agreement with Mount Kisco to adjust the situation did not produce results.

The town board also gave the go ahead for retaining a contractor. Construction is expected to start in late April, Paderewski told Patch, and residents could be getting town water by July 1.