City of Rochester
News Release
(Tuesday, May 8, 2012) – Find out the source of the City’s drinking water, how it’s tested and where it’s stored before it makes its way into city homes.
All of this information and more is available in the 2011 Water Quality Report developed annually by the Bureau of Water.
The report provides residents with news on the water system, details on the source of drinking water, its treatment and test results.
The City conducts various tests on drinking water as it makes its way from the City’s Hemlock Lake Water Treatment Plant, to storage reservoirs, and as it makes its way to city homes. As the State regulations require, the City routinely tests drinking water for numerous contaminants and has found no contaminants at levels that raise concern. All drinking water, including bottled water, contains at least small amounts of impurities. Finding contaminants does not mean there is a health risk; some substances, such as chlorine and fluoride, are added to the water supply for health reasons. Maintaining the quality of Rochester’s water is always a top priority. Earlier this month, Rochester’s drinking water was named “New York’s Best Tasting Water” in a statewide competition held by the New York Section American Water Works Association.
The Water Quality Report provides residents with information about the City’s water system and how it is managed. The City entered into a 25-year water exchange agreement last year with the Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA), guaranteeing another generation of area residents and water customers an abundance of clean drinking water at a reasonable cost. This agreement enables the daily exchange of millions of gallons of water between the two systems and optimizes the availability of water to the city and county. The City and MCWA will continue to share certain capital costs for system improvements.
City residents will receive a copy of the 2011 Water Quality Report in their water bill. They are also available online at: http://www.cityofrochester.gov/waterquality and at city branch libraries and neighborhood service centers. For more information, contact the Water Bureau at 428-6477.
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News Media: For more information, contact Leonard Schantz at 428-7378.