HBO Filming Ruins Drinking Water For Local Residents
An HBO series starring Nicole Kidman is responsible for rusty drinking water entering Hudson Valley homes.
On Wednesday an alert went out from the Kingston Water Department warning residents about rusty water in the area surrounding Wurts and Pierpont. Officials blame the crew of HBO's The Undoing, which is filming around the area through July 2. The limited run series stars Nicole Kidman, Donald Sutherland and Hugh Grant.
As a result of the filming, Wurts Street from McEntee Steet to the Wurts Street Bridge has been shut down. Excitement about the filming has seemed to overshadow the inconvenience of road closures, but this newest issue may be testing residents' patience.
The Kingston Water Department blames the HBO crew for opening two hydrants without authorization. As a result, the flow of water kicked up rust in the pipes which has contaminated the supply into residents' homes. The water department has a permit process in place for situations such as this so workers can install a backflow device on the hydrants. Properly controlling the water is important so the system does not become contaminated or full of discolored water. Because HBO did not contact the KWD before opening the hydrants, the water supply was affected.
In May, another HBO production was halted after a car dealership being used for filming was destroyed by fire. The 613 Auto Group in Ellenville was engulfed with flames while closed for two days as film crews took over the business for a miniseries starring Mark Ruffalo.
As of Wednesday morning, the Kingston Water Department reports that the system has been flushed and the murky water has finally cleared up. Residents are being instructed to flush the cold water for a few minutes to clear up the pipes in their homes. If residents continue to experience a drop in pressure of other problems they are asked to contact the water department at 845 331-0205.
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