Flooded basements. Impassable roads. Waterlogged school fields. Since 2009, Westchester County has invested over $120 million fighting a relentless problem that threatens property, safety, and quality of life. This week, the Westchester County Board of Legislators approved another $1.925 million to protect residents in New Rochelle, Croton-on-Hudson, and Bronxville from the recurring floods that have plagued these neighborhoods.
Legislators approved the critical infrastructure investments that will install modern stormwater drainage systems in three of the County’s most hard-hit communities: the Village of Croton-on-Hudson (Brook Street corridor), the City of New Rochelle (Stephenson Brook watershed area), and Garth Woods in Bronxville. The projects will construct new drainage pipes, catch basins, and related infrastructure designed to redirect stormwater away from flood-prone neighborhoods.
The County will fund approximately half the cost of each project through its Stormwater Management Program, with municipalities covering the remainder and maintaining the systems after construction. All three projects are expected to be completed within two years.
Beyond protecting individual properties, the improvements will help reduce flood insurance costs for affected residents and enhance emergency response capabilities during severe weather events. The projects were identified through scientific watershed studies that pinpoint flooding problems and develop targeted engineering solutions.
The Board will continue using every available tool to address flooding wherever it occurs across Westchester. Through strategic partnerships with municipalities and sustained investment in stormwater infrastructure, the County is building a more resilient community capable of withstanding the increasingly severe storms that threaten neighborhoods throughout the region.
Board Chairman Vedat Gashi (D- New Castle, Ossining, Somers, Yorktown) said, “With these measures, the Board is continuing the important everyday work of improving our County’s roads, bridges, and drainage systems. These aren’t luxury investments—they’re essential improvements to public safety and community resilience. When families can’t use their basements, when roads become rivers, when kids lose their playing fields after every storm, we have a responsibility to act. That’s exactly what we’re doing.”
