Rochester's drinking water is very important, as it is in any community.  Any change in the high quality of our water is critical to our health. Also, the quality of the water in many of our bodies of water (including streams, rivers, the Finger Lakes, and Great Lakes) is changing because of the increase in human traffic, the introduction of new invasive species, and the presents of many man-made toxins and even pharmaceuticals .  Find out all there is about our area's water quality so that we can note important trends that are difficult to measure over time with constant vigilance.  

Water Quality Issues in and Around Rochester, New York. 

Water Quality Issues in our local news

  Online Resources for Water Quality

Other Rochester Issues:

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Sprawl Follows The Pipes - How Government Supports Sprawl The ‘Sprawl Follows The Pipes' Green Paper concludes with 11 environmentally related recommendations for controlling sprawl by controlling the water distribution network. Seven of these recommendations relate directly to regaining citizen control over the Authority such as redefining its mission from supporting private profit to leading the way with a regional water master plan based not on where pipes will be built next but on ‘Water Exclusion Zones' which specify where the pipes will not be built. Copies of ‘Sprawl Follows The Pipes' can be obtained by writing: Sierra Club - Rochester Regional Group PO Box 39516, Rochester, N.Y. 14604 or by calling (585) 244-2625. E-mail orders may be sent to: animalguides@hotmail.com. There will be a modest charge to cover printing and mailing costs.

Concerned about your Water Quality? Consult these resources for more information: * 1. City water quality; Hemlock Filtration Plant - 585-428-6680. * 2. City water billing/24-hour customer service - 585-428- 7095. Water system in general www.cityofrochester.gov  * 3. State and local health regulations: Monroe County Department of Health 585-274- 6057. * 4. Monroe County Water Association: www. MCWA.com  * 5. Federal regulation and general info: EPA Hotline- 1-800-426-4791 or www.epa.gov/ogwdw/ * 6. Cryptosporidium and other waterbourne diseases: center for Disease Control website: www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/ * 7. Point-of-use water treatment devices: National Santitation Foundation: www.nsfconsumer.org/water/dw_treatment.asp  

What do Monroe County residents think about their drinking water?  You can obtain a copy of the Water Quality Survey report by calling the Monroe County Health Department at 274-8441. The survey, which was handed out at yesterday's news conference, showed: -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE

•  54 percent consider the waters of Lake Ontario polluted, compared with 41 percent in 1983. 
•  Sixty-nine percent consider the Genesee River polluted, compared with 62 percent in 1983.
•  64 percent said they would be willing to reduce the use of lawn fertilizers and pesticides to improve water quality.
•  62 percent thought that water quality in the county will probably get better over the next 20 years.
•  51 percent believe industrial pollution is the main cause of water pollution in the county.
•  71 percent said that a high bacteria count is the main reason Ontario Beach is closed for swimming on some days in the summer.
•  33 percent said they filter tap water.

 Water Education Collaborative The Water Education Collaborative (WEC) is a coalition of organizations that work together to increase water quality education in the community. The mission of the WEC is to focus the combined resources of member organizations to provide water quality education services to the public within the Genesee Region Watershed. This is accomplished by: 1) educating and involving citizens in protecting water quality, 2) serving as a resource/clearinghouse for water quality education programs, and 3) seeking the resources to support water education programs.

Monroe County Community WaterWatch Program - The Community WaterWatch program is a volunteer activity involving the residents of Monroe County in efforts to improve and sustain the quality of the waterways in our community.  Do you belong to any business, civic, homeowners' association, recreation, religious or youth organizations in the county?  Activities may include: stream an shoreline visual surveys. Physical monitoring" temperature, stream velocity, stream depth, monitoring aquatic insects, storm drain stenciling, litter clean up, reporting problems to proper agencies, interaction with local planning/conservation boards.  If you would like to do something to help improve water quality contact the Monroe County Department of Health, Room 962, PO Box 92832, 111 Westfall Road, Rochester, NY 14692.  Fax: 716-274-6098. Phone:  716-274-7638. 

Know your water vocabulary?: Water glossary  -from Lenntech water- en luchtbehandeling holding BV, Rotterdamseweg 402 M 2629 HH Delft the Netherlands, Tel. +31-15-261.09.00, Fax. +31-15-261.62.89 , www.lenntech.com  - info@lenntech.com 

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline: Call 1-800-426-4791 for information about lead, or arsenic in drinking water. 

  Arsenic:  Worried about the Bush Administrations ruling on arsenic and possible arsenic in your water? Arsenic: The Safe Drinking Water Act requires EPA to revise the existing 50 parts per billion (ppb) standard for arsenic in drinking water. On January 22, 2001, EPA published a new standard for arsenic in drinking water that requires public water supplies to reduce arsenic to 10 ppb by 2006.

  EnviroMap of Rochester, New York. from the EPA.  Find extensive environmental information about our city including of environmental information, including drinking water, toxic and air releases, hazardous waste, water discharge permits, and Superfund sites.

Consumer Confidence Reports  EPA - Small System Regulatory Requirements Under the Safe Drinking Water Act as Amended in 1996  Effective Dates—first reports are due between April and October 1999, by July 1 annually thereafter

  ADOPT-A-STREAM  Adopt-A-Stream is an interdisciplinary program which gives classroom learning a real-life application, enhances students' problem-solving capabilities, and can provide community recognition of the students efforts. Delta Laboratories, Inc., 1820 East Ave, Rochester , NY 14610, (716) 242-2400

  Find More about Water Pollution in Your Area: Go to Scorecard  --from Environment Defense. 

Water Quality Issues in the News (Please Note: Links below open in a new window.)

Resources for Water Quality in our area:

• Monroe County Water Authority   All you want to know about the water company that supplies Rochester (NY) and its environs. Extensive tables summarize the results of the 1999 water quality monitoring program. The site includes a fine description of experiments that kids of all ages can do to learn more about water.
•  Livingston County Water and Sewer Authority - Our mission is to provide high quality, environmentally sound, efficient, reliable, and affordable water and sewer services to the people who live, work and visit Livingston County.
•  The Water Education Collaborative (part of the Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC))) A Unique Approach to a Common goal Living in the Greater Rochester area, surrounded by Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, and no obvious lack of precipitation, we’re apt to take the abundance and quality of our water supply for granted. It’s important to remember, however, that the health of all life forms (human and non-) in our community depends on the availability of clean water. With that in mind, a new coalition of public and private agencies has been formed to heighten awareness and increase public stewardship of our region’s water quality.
•  Water Quality Program In 1986, improving water quality was set as a major national initiative for Cooperative Extension out of the need for a deliberate, coordinated program addressing the spectrum of ground water contamination problems. Increasing public understanding of the dynamics of ground water is a momentous challenge to Cooperative Extension. The quality of public water supplies is regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the New York State Sanitary Code. However, the quality of private drinking water supplies remains the responsibility of the homeowner. For this purpose, the protection and quality of private drinking water supplies has been a focus of the Water Quality Extension Program in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell.
•  If you are concerned about an odd chlorine taste or odor in your water, you can call City Environmental Services at 428-5990.
•  New York Drinking Water, The water you drink, Drinking water suppliers now provide reports (sometimes called consumer confidence reports) that tell where drinking water comes from, and what contaminants may be in it. Read your water quality report if it is online, or contact your water supplier to get a copy. Or, call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791. For a copy of the list of systems included in this action and their compliance status as of today, please call 212-637-3675.
•  WATERS Watershed Assessment, Tracking & Environmental Results WATERS is a tool that unites water quality information previously available only on individual state agency homepages and at several Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) websites. State and federal water quality managers, as well as interested citizens, can use WATERS to quickly identify the status of individual waterbodies of interest to them. It can also be used to generate summary reports on all waters of a state. Click on the map below to find detailed water quality information. --EPA
•  Water Testing & Treatment: Water drawn from wells or springs should be tested regularly for total coliform bacteria, nitrate, pH and total dissolved solids. These tests can provide a good indication of water quality and other potential types of contamination.
•  Capacity Development Program - Strategy Report Improving The Technical, Managerial, and Financial Capabilities of Public Water Systems in New York One of the focuses of the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments is to ensure that public water systems have the ability to provide safe drinking water to the public. The Amendments seek to prevent compliance problems and associated health risks by ensuring that public water systems have the capability to produce safe drinking water now and in the future. To achieve these goals, the Amendments include provisions for several prevention programs – one of which is the capacity development program.--from the NYS Department of Health. 
•  Phosphorous Loads in the NYC Watershed Reservoirs  (PDF) --from NYS Attorney General 
•  Founded in 1992, the Center for Watershed Protection works with local, state, and federal governmental agencies, environmental consulting firms, watershed organizations, and the general public to provide objective and scientifically sound information on effective techniques to protect and restore urban watersheds.
•  The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1999, is the main federal law that ensures the quality of Americans' drinking water. Under SDWA, EPA sets standards for drinking water quality and oversees the states, localities, and water suppliers who implement those standards. To learn more about the Safe Drinking Water Act --from the EPA. 
•  City of Rochester Water Supply System
•  Filtration Process at Hemlock Lake
•  Hemlock & Canadice Lakes Water Supply History
•  Hemlock Water Filtration Plant General Specifications & Information
•  Down the Drain.org: What's going down the drain in your community? It’s a long-standing and common practice – even today. What we don’t need, goes down the drain. Sometimes that’s not a problem.…but sometimes what goes down the drain can be downright dangerous. .....anti-freeze or oily waste from service stations, drycleaning or photo-processing chemicals, caustic cleaning agents, industrial chemicals and rinsewaters of all types... All of these can be washed, poured spilled or siphoned into sinks, floor drains and wells. Once in the ground, many of these chemicals can make their way to the kitchen tap, the school water fountain or the local creek.
•  Eleventh Annual Winter Festival of the Waters This festival is a three month long celebration of the healing power of water, featuring special packages, sales and events all winter long. Chase away the winter blues in Berkeley Springs: The Country's First Spa, and enjoy ancient healing for the new millennium.
•  BottledWaterWeb This is the portal for the bottled water industry and where you will find extensive information about bottled water. This site is maintained by Best Cellars, LLC and the purpose of the BottledWaterWebTM is to provide the consumer and researcher with the most current and accurate information about bottled water.
•  Learn about E. coli in drinking water-- From EPA.
•  What Can I Do If There Is A Problem With My Drinking Water?-- From EPA.
•  Indoor Pollution: Your home could be more unhealthy than the great outdoors. Find out about the hidden dangers in Health. --10/12/99 Netscape.com/Rochester
•  Provided by the EPA, check out the quality of our watersheds in our area by using a clickable map here--  Monroe, New York.
•  Arsenic in Drinking Water FAQ  Answers to questions including: How can I find out whether my drinking water contains arsenic? Can I buy a filter that will remove arsenic from my water? I drink bottled water -- do I have to worry about arsenic? --from Natural Resources Defense Council. 
• Arsenic in Drinking Water Arsenic is a chemical that occurs naturally in the earth's crust. When rocks, minerals, and soil erode, they release arsenic into water supplies. When people either drink this water or eat animals and plants that drink it, they are exposed to arsenic. For most people in the U.S., eating and drinking are the most common ways that people are exposed to arsenic, although it can also come from industrial sources. Studies have linked long-term exposure of arsenic in drinking water to a variety of cancers in humans. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
•  National Sanitation Foundation: NSF International, The Public Health and Safety Company™, is an independent, not for profit organization providing a wide range of services around the world. For more than 55 years, NSF has been committed to public health, safety and protection of the environment. While focusing on food, water, indoor air and the environment, NSF develops national standards, provides learning opportunities through its Center for Public Health Education and provides third-party conformity assessment services while representing the interests of all stakeholders.
•  ADOPT-A-STREAM  Adopt-A-Stream is an interdisciplinary program which gives classroom learning a real-life application, enhances students' problem-solving capabilities, and can provide community recognition of the students efforts. Delta Laboratories, Inc., 1820 East Ave, Rochester , NY 14610, (716) 242-2400
•  New York Rural Water Association (NYRWA) is committed to keeping its members informed on important news and information regarding the rural water, wastewater, and solid waste industries. In addition, we are determined to promote the effective exchange of knowledge between systems.
•  USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Toxic Substances Hydrology (Toxics) Program was initiated in 1982. The goal of the Program is to provide scientific information on the behavior of toxic substances in the Nation's hydrologic environments. Contamination of surface water, ground water, soil, sediment, and the atmosphere by toxic substances is among the most significant issues facing the Nation. Contaminants such as excessive nutrients, organic chemicals, metals, and pathogens enter the environment, often inadvertently, via industrial, agricultural, mining, or other human activities. The extent of their migration and their persistence often are difficult to ascertain. Estimates of the costs and time frames for cleanup of contamination and protection of human and environmental health can best be described as astounding, despite continual efforts by governments and industries worldwide to improve environmental technologies.
•  New York State - USGS USGS We are the NY State branch of the US Geological Survey. The USGS serves the public in providing and gathering natural sciences data from a variety of sources. Water Resources of New York  The USGS provides the Nation with reliable information about the Earth to minimize the loss of lives and property from natural disasters, to manage biological, water, mineral, and energy resources, to enhance and protect the quality of life, and to contribute to wise economic and physical development.
•  Year of Clean water- YOCW In support of these goals, Congress, along with a number of the nation's Governors and national organizations have proclaimed 2002 as the Year of Clean Water. The America's Clean Water Foundation (ACWF), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization created in 1989 to coordinate the 20th Anniversary Celebration, is again serving as the primary sponsor and national coordinator of the Year of Clean Water. ACWF is coordinating and facilitating a series of events throughout October 2002 to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act. In addition, government agencies and private organizations will also sponsor a host of national and watershed specific events in support of the Year of Clean Water. These events are designed to promote public involvement, provide education and outreach, support technical exchange and document the status of water quality since the initial passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act.
•  WASTEWATER LINKS
•  VanLare Wastewater Treatment Facility - General Information  The Frank E. VanLare Wastewater Treatment Facility dates from 1917. The original Rochester Sewage Treatment Plant, formerly the Durand Eastman Plant, was completed in 1917 and has since been expanded and modified on several occasions. 1976 was the first full year of operation for the new facilities at the VanLare Plant.
•  NY Water Environment Association, Inc. The New York Water Environment Association, Inc. (NYWEA) was founded in 1929, by professionals in the field of water quality as a non-profit, educational organization. Association members helped lead the way toward existing state and national clean water programs. Today the Association has over 2,500 members representing diverse backgrounds and specialties, but all are concerned and involved with protecting and enhancing our precious water resources.
•  How to test farms & nearby water sources.  A useful guide to environmental groups who want to check up on farms and pollution: Putting Factory Farms to the Test: A Guide to Community-based Water Monitoring -Changes in farming practices over the last 60 years have dramatically increased the potential to harm the environment and human health, especially in the livestock sector. Large intensive livestock operations can increase the risk of environmental contamination from harmful bacteria, foul odours and toxic vapours. As a result of such effects, citizens are becoming concerned about large livestock operations in their communities. Putting Factory Farms to the Test is a manual designed to help community groups monitor the effects of local factory farms on nearby water sources. The manual is a step-by-step guide to help community groups start their monitoring program, collect samples, manage data and put the results to good use in the community. --from Environmental Defence Canada
•  Earth Force - GREEN Welcome to the GREEN.org website. We have designed this website to provide water monitors and students with a place to store their water monitoring data, track their water monitoring projects (My Page) and to provide you educational resources you need to successfully implement a school-based water monitoring program. The website is designed to give you a place to store your water monitoring data, allow others to see what you have found and compare your work to the work of others in your area. Once you have a (project page) your group can use this site to track all of your monitoring data for as long as you continue your water monitoring effort.
• The Watershed